Over the Rainbow
by scooby2408
Summary: In a world where life isn’t ruled by the turn of a card and card games are just games, our heroes can find that normal high school life can be just as challenging - featuring the cast of 'The Flight of Dreams' in a whole new adventure.
1. Arrival

**A/N: For my birthday in August my best friend, Waffles4eva, told me that she would be writting me a birthday fic. She suggested taking some of my characters from "The Flight of Dreams" and "Strangers Like Me" and taking them out of a 'Shonen style' - card game anime and putting them into a 'Shojo style' - high school anime... and Over the Rainbow is the end result. She's been releasing them to me one episode at a time and she very very kindly has allowed me to post it.**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

* * *

Over the Rainbow

Episode One- Arrival: Welcome to Noboru!

"Please fasten your seatbelts, we are now beginning our descent."

Izzy did so, drawing in a deep breath and unwrapping a boiled sweet as she went. She hated how her ears would pop as planes went down. Her heart thudded slightly. This was it, there was no going back. She hoped everything would work out. She hoped her Japanese was good enough, that she would get on with her classmates, that they wouldn't think she was odd. It had been a year since she had seen Alyssa in person too, what if her friend wasn't the same? What if she wasn't?

She was beginning to think this hadn't been a good idea. However, she was the sort of person who pushed her worries right back, deep into some forgotten corner of her mind, so she reminded herself that she would have a wonderful time. She should be excited, not nervous. If Alyssa acted differently, she would simply have to adapt to it. She reminded herself of this constantly as she collected her baggage and took her first steps onto Japanese soil.

"_Izzy_!"

She heard the excited yell and just had time to give a relieved sigh- clearly Alyssa hadn't changed in the slightest- before all the wind was knocked out of her by a slightly over-excited hug.

"You know." She said, conversationally. "If you will tackle-hug me at about ninety miles an hour, I'd appreciate it if you could be a bit more gentle."

Alyssa laughed and released her. "Gentle isn't any fun!" She answered, winking. "Well, anyway! Nippon e yokoso!"

"That's 'welcome to Japan', right?" Izzy asked, slightly uncertain. Alyssa nodded.

"See? The whole language barrier thing is _not_ going to be a problem!" She smiled, and from then on spoke in Japanese. "I know you're going to love it here!"

"It should certainly be interesting." Izzy replied, and hoped it would be. She had lived a fairly ordinary life up until now. She wondered if Japanese high school would be as interesting as the animes all made it look to be. Probably not. At least, not according to Alyssa.

"Oh, great!" Alyssa exclaimed suddenly. "Hurry! Run! We'll miss the train!"

With that, she disappeared into the heaving mass of people, Izzy trailing after her with her suitcase. She rolled her eyes slightly. Whatever else was going to be different, it looked like it would be the same old Alyssa.

* * *

The train station, luckily, was directly opposite the airport, so they didn't have to run too far. Alyssa lead the way, clutching Izzy's hand luggage- she was either trying to help or was simply stealing it- while Izzy ran behind her, suitcase bumping over the pavement. Alyssa went into the station, forced her train pass into the barrier and dashed through. Izzy was left stuck behind the turnstile.

"Um... Alyssa?"

"Oh, right, sorry!" Alyssa ran back, pulling a rail ticket from her pocket and reached over to push it into the slot. The barrier opened, and just remembering to pick up her ticket, Izzy followed her friend to a platform where a train was just readying itself to leave. They slid through the closing door Indiana Jones-style and collapsed into some of the seats, laughing and trying to catch their breath.

"You haven't changed." Izzy said in the end, shaking her head in exasperation. "Why did you book such an early train? What if my flight had been delayed?"

"I didn't book it." Alyssa answered. "You can use that ticket any time today."

"Then why did we have to run?"

Alyssa just laughed more. Izzy glared, but was in too good a mood to keep it up for long. It was too good to see her friend again.

It still seemed strange to her that someone with as Western a name as 'Alyssa Trent' could have been born and raised in Japan. That said, her friend was half-English, on her father's side. This meant that although she lived in Japan, she had spent a lot of time in England too, visiting her father's family and friends, the ones he had grown up with. One such person happened to be Izzy's own father.

The Trent family's visits had been fairly rare over the years, but each time they did, it was Izzy who had been given the responsibility of playing with and generally looking after Alyssa. Now, that had caused a few problems over the years. The first time they had met, aged three, their conversation had gone something like this:

_"__Izzy, this is Alyssa. You can play with her for a while, right?__"_

_"Okay. Hello, I'm Isabella, what's your name?"_

_A laugh. "Eigo desu ka?"_

_"...Well, you can call me Izzy if you want. Do you want to play?"_

_"Nihongo!"_

As you can imagine, until Alyssa's English developed, it was somewhat hard for them to communicate. Never the less, that was not really a problem for games that mostly involved running around in the garden anyway. During those three weeks, Alyssa had come over almost every day, and to everyone's surprise, her English got a lot better. She had been raised in a bi-lingual household, but although she _could _understand English had always flatly refused to use it. It would seem Izzy was worth talking too. More surprisingly however, was when Izzy started to speak broken Japanese too. When her parents asked if Alyssa had been teaching her, three-year old Izzy simply replied: "She's not very good at talking English so I have to talk Japanese or she won't understand". And that was all she had to say about that.

Unfortunately, Alyssa's family had not come back to England for several years, until the girls were seven, in which time Izzy had not used Japanese at all. Thankfully, Alyssa's English had gotten better, but by the end of the holiday the two of them were speaking quite happily in a mish-mash of languages again, just as they had in a time they could hardly remember. They were firm friends after that, writing to one another- in Alyssa's wobbly roman script and occasionally Izzy's even wobblier kanji- and eventually made the technological progression to e-mail at around age ten.

By this point, Alyssa rather fancied the idea of being bi-lingual after all and with her father's help spoke it as much as she could. Izzy, too, had badgered away at her parents until they had found her a Japanese class to attend on a Saturday afternoon and, not struggling with languages as much as her friend, learnt rapidly. There was the motivation of being able to speak to Alyssa, of course, but now there was an extra one.

Alyssa had introduced her to anime. The fiend. A life-long obsession was begun by something as innocent as a simple youtube link.

The last time the Trents had come for a visit was the summer when the girls were fifteen, Alyssa about to move from Middle School into High School and Izzy going into Year Eleven that summer. At which point, Alyssa very excitedly said:

"Guess what guess what! My high school, it arranges a student exchange with a school in the UK! I speak good English and I've applied, I have a good chance! I might be back here in September!"

"It's alright for some." Izzy sighed. "Can you believe they're running a Japanese exchange programme but they're only going to let sixth formers do it? And only one?" Then she paused. "Wait. Alyssa, what's your high school called?"

And, naturally, Alyssa came and spent six months or so at Izzy's school. Naturally, when the school appealed for a family or several families to put the student up for a while, Izzy's applied. It was strange, to be living with Alyssa for such a long period. But it had been a lot of fun, in school as well as at home. Izzy hadn't wanted to admit it, but having Alyssa explain to the rather dogmatic history teacher that America should have been charged as war criminals after dropping the atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was fun to watch. Also, Alyssa's apparent inability to write a haiku in English classes caused a great deal of amusement for some. Especially when she had somehow gained the impression that English lessons were where the students learnt to _speak _English. That was, after all, what they had been in Japan.

Now, a year later, it was Izzy's turn. She had decided to stay on at her school for sixth form and in doing so had been eligible for a chance to go and see Alyssa's school in return. She had won over the other applicants hands-down. She was well-acquainted with the strange Japanese girl that had visited them, she could speak Japanese, read and write the basics, and would work enough so that she would be able to catch up easily with her AS courses upon her return. Also, she had scored some of the highest exam results in the year at GCSE. They didn't want the Japanese thinking the English were stupid. Then again, they _had _sent someone who had believed Nelson was a Frenchman.

Izzy examined her friend, trying not to look like she was. Alyssa had gotten a tiny bit taller in the last year, her hair was shorter, but that was about it. She supposed a year couldn't make too much of a difference. Alyssa caught her looking and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I was just wondering," Izzy said. "What your school is going to be like."

"Oh!" Alyssa perked up. "Well, it's a pretty big school. Nationally-recognised, too. Everyone knows Noburo High!"

"...Noburo?" Izzy repeated, switching to English for a moment for the sake of clarity. "As in 'Go up'? 'Climb'?"

"Yes!" Alyssa grinned wickedly. "You could call it 'Up High', right?"

Izzy groaned. This could be a long six months. Alyssa chuckled slightly and went back to Japanese to resume her explanation.

"Anyway, because people come from all over to go this place, most of us live in the school dorms. There's North and West blocks, that's for the guys; we're in East and the girls have South too. Oh, that reminds me! You may as well have this now!"

With that, she reached into her pocket again and took out a key. Attached to it was a pink keyring with _E203 _ printed on it.

"Your room key." Alyssa explained. "And, guess what? It's right next to mine!" Here she held up a key reading _E204. _"It was my room last year too." She explained. "Se-chan used to live in 203 last year but she said she'd switch for a bit."

"That was nice of her."

"Mm! You'll meet her, she's in our class." Alyssa answered.

"Oh, yes. Your school year starts in April here, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, you haven't missed much. Most of the April-September run is taken up by the summer break." She scowled slightly. "I can't believe there's only two days left!"

"Hey, hey, I want time to get un-jet lagged." Izzy pointed out.

"Awww, but I was going to take you sight-seeing." Alyssa pouted. "You can sleep tomorrow! I have a student council duties then anyway."

"You have what?" Izzy blinked, sure she must have misunderstood.

"Student council duties. I'm one of the Treasurers."

"Wait, wait." Izzy said, "Now, I _might _be wrong here, but when you were in England on the transfer didn't you spend the _entire _sixth months teasing me about being on the Student Council? Didn't you say 'I would never do that'?!"

"Eheheheh." Alyssa laughed nervously. "Maybe I did, but people change. I joined back in the first year."

"Why the U-turn?"

She shrugged. "It looked fun. Ours does a lot more than yours seemed too. Besides, you have to give something back, right?"

"Right." Izzy said, but she wasn't convinced. She would have to wait and see, she supposed. For the moment, there were more important things to do as Alyssa jumped up and said with great enthusiasm:

"Let's get off here!"

Izzy followed her onto the platform.

"So, what's here?"

"I don't know." Alyssa answered, cheerfully. "But we missed the stop for the shopping district already so I figured better late than never!"

"I thought we were going to the dorms to drop my stuff off first?" Izzy asked.

"Oh, right." Alyssa paused. "Oh well."

A _very _long sixth months.

* * *

It was a busy afternoon but a fairly entertaining one. After eating lunch in a 'traditional Japanese restaurant'- although Izzy was fairly sure they had not eaten 'Super Chocolate Fudge Ice-Cream' in the olden days after their noodles and rice- Alyssa took her out to see some of the sights of the town, the shops and walkways and buildings. There was a market just to one side of the high street, which Izzy duly noted as a good place to buy bizarre souvenirs and trinkets to take back home for her family. Alyssa, however, had other plans for Izzy's spare change and somehow convinced her to spend most of the afternoon in an arcade. Still, it was fun. Plus she totally owned Alyssa on basically everything.

By the time they caught the train and reached the school-owned property that formed the dormitories, it was late. Izzy had been up for so many hours she had lost count, and been through a time jump of nine hours. She collapsed into bed, barely taking the time to look around E203. Alyssa left her to sleep, and slept for a long time. When she came to, it was dark, and the clock read 2AM. She wondered if it was the same night or if she really had missed an entire day. The only reasonable course of action seemed to be to bang on Alyssa's door and find out what the date was.

Alyssa was not best pleased. She pointed out that not all of them were working on English time, and they had school the next day. From that, Izzy could surmise that she had indeed missed the entire day that Alyssa spent with the student council, but at least she felt awake now. Alyssa did not, and her answers to Izzy's many questions about the school were kept somewhat brief.

"Look, I'll show you around in the morning, okay?" She said eventually, through a yawn. "Speaking of which, how long do you need to get ready tomorrow?"

"Hmm... An hour, maybe...?" Izzy shrugged. "I don't take long. Make it an hour and a half though, in case."

"Set your alarm for about six then." Alyssa yawned again. "I'd like to go soon after seven... seven fifteen, maybe..."

"Whoa, how early does your school start?!" Izzy exclaimed. Her school had been reasonably close to home. The earliest she had ever gone out was eight, and then she got there twenty minutes early.

"Earlier than yours. And don't forget we have to get there." Alyssa answered, somewhat grouchily. Izzy knew her to be a morning person, but apparently that meant daylight hours only. It was time to leave her alone, it seemed, and try to get a few more hour's sleep before dawn.

"I'll be knocking for you at six thirty so we can go get breakfast." Alyssa yawned at her as she left, apparently not so mad that she wouldn't have breakfast with her friend.

Izzy attempted to sleep after that, but to no avail. She had slept for too long already, she wasn't used to the time zone and she was somewhat nervous about starting at a new school. Eventually she surrendered and decided to investigate room E203 a little further. There wasn't much to investigate, in truth- the room was quite small. There was a wardrobe for her clothes, with a large drawer that she had found her bedding in. There was a small desk with one leg shorter than the other that she spent a good half an hour trying to prop up with some old magazines until the wobble was more or less dealt with. There was a chair with it, a lamp, some shelves and a bookcase. She pulled back the blue curtains to see what the view was from her window, but dawn wasn't even considering breaking and all she could see was a sheet of blackness. It seemed there was little she could do except wait, and try to sleep after all.

When Alyssa knocked on her door at six thirty am, Izzy was ready and waiting. She had dressed as smartly as she could- not sure what the dress code was- but she found out when she opened the door. Alyssa stood before her in what was presumably a school uniform. Presumably because Alyssa looked so uncomfortable in it she couldn't be wearing it by choice. The skirt wasn't too short, at knee length, but it was brown. The top was a traditional sailor-style fuku, with a brown bow. The neck pieces had some green ridges on it, as did the cuffs of the long sleeves. In all honesty, it didn't look too bad. It was just… so traditionally Japanese schoolgirl.

Izzy laughed. Heartily.

"Laugh while you can." Alyssa huffed. "You'll have one of these by the end of the day."

Izzy stopped. It may have been amusing to see her friend looking like someone in a cosplay costume, but it would be another matter entirely to do it herself. It was Alyssa's turn to laugh, back to her cheery self now that the sun had risen.

"We'll go to the school store and get you one later." She smiled. "Anyway, come on! Alyssa want breakfast!"

"Fine, fine…" She answered, and her friend was half way down the hall before she had chance to so much as lock her door. It was awfully quiet, considering how early Alyssa wanted to leave. Perhaps everyone had eaten already. Still, when they reached the small canteen at the bottom of the building, there was plenty of food left, and most of the seats were empty. "Seems like no-one else is here yet... weird, don't we all have to leave pretty soon?"

"Um, yeah!" Alyssa agreed. "It's just, most people eat first and get ready after! So they'll all have finished by now!"

"Right." Izzy answered, wondering what there was to be so enthusiastic about as Alyssa helped herself to some food- rice, and some warm stew of some sort- but a meal like that for breakfast wasn't in Izzy's English style, so she stuck to some toast and bacon. Alyssa's only comment was 'You'll have a hard time eating that with chopsticks', which wasn't terribly helpful.

The two sat and ate together, chatting and talking. A few others, from other floors, arrived and Alyssa greeted most of them cheerfully. They all seemed to share a great interest in Izzy and after a somewhat dizzying round of introductions she was glad there had only been about five of them and all reasonably spread out. How she would manage meeting her class later, she didn't know.

"Ahh!" Alyssa yelped suddenly. "It's already seven fifteen?! We have to go! We'll be late!"

Without further ado, she grabbed her school bag- or 'the briefcase', as Izzy jokingly called it- and ran from the room, leaving Izzy to follow. They dashed out of the halls, arranged around a central square with North, South and West at the appropriate points. Alyssa didn't pause, however, running right out of the courtyard and up the street.

About two minutes later, they arrived at the school. No-one else was around, and with good reason. School didn't start till eight.

Izzy glared at Alyssa, trying to catch her breath after the mad dash. Alyssa was even more breathless than she was, but still managed to collapse into giggles. It didn't help the breathing situation much, and eventually she was gasping for air. Izzy didn't feel the least bit sorry for her.

"Why did you panic me like that?!" She snapped. "I thought I was going to be late on my first day!"

"Wasn't it more fun, though? Can't you feel your heart pounding?!" Alyssa laughed a little more, but calmed herself. "Come on, let's go to class!"

"...It's a pretty big building." Izzy commented as they headed across the playground. "Bigger than most schools."

Alyssa laughed. "It's deceptively tall. Seven floors!"

"Wow..."

"It's good because we can have all the classrooms in one building." She explained, but then frowned slightly. "Though it means we spend half our lives climbing stairs."

"What's that bit?" Izzy asked, pointing to a block jutting out of the side of the building, roughly three stories high and joining onto the rest of the school. The side of this smaller building was covered in bobbles and lumps, and the surface itself was uneven. At the top was what seemed to be a metal handrail, and from the roof, a long ladder that ran all the way to the roof of the building.

"That's the gym." Alyssa answered. "It's a climbing wall on the side! I think we're trying that soon, so you'll get to have a try... it's not that easy, though, I haven't gotten to the top yet..."

She didn't sound terribly enthusiastic, and entered the school building without looking too closely. Stopping at the shoe lockers, she slipped out of her outdoor shoes and changed into her indoor ones. Izzy felt a little lost.

"Um..."

"They're alphabetical." Alyssa answered the unspoken question. "You'll be under 'Ko'."

"...Ko?"

"Yup. You'll be writing your surname _'Ko-be-i' _while you're here, by the way, because the headmaster refuses to accept Romanisation in his school no matter what."

"Oh." She didn't really know what to say to that.

"Think yourself lucky." Alyssa answered. "At least yours didn't become _Te-n-tu_."

With that, Kobei-chan and Tentu-chan, as it seemed they were to be known, conducted a brief search for Izzy's shoe locker and then headed up the stairs. The ground floor, Alyssa explained, was all the 'necessaries'- the canteen, the shoe lockers, the reception and administration offices. The other six floors contained the classrooms themselves, with homeroom for the first years held on the first floor, for the second years on the second, and so on. Theirs was in room 87. A small sign above the door read '2A'. Izzy wondered what it thought it was doing there if the headmaster was so opposed to the English alphabet.

"This is it." Alyssa announced, loudly and dramatically, with her hand ready to slide the door open. "Are you ready, Isabella Corbey?!"

"No need to shout." Izzy replied, covering her ears. "I am right here."

"You're right! You are _right here_!" Alyssa repeated, a tad suspiciously. "So, I'm going to go ahead and open this door...!"

She did not.

"...Go ahead." Izzy said, eventually. "Come on, I want to see!"

"Okay, I'm opening the door!" Alyssa announced again, and did so.

"_Surprise!_" Yelled the class at large, and Izzy found herself assault by a thousand questions and greetings in various levels of English.

"What is this?!" She asked Alyssa, when she could manage it.

"A welcome party!" Alyssa answered, pointing at the party food and the streamers and banners strung up around the room.

"...Before half seven in the morning?"

"Of course!" Alyssa grinned. "In Japan, it is _always _time for a party!" At this, the class cheered, and the introductions began.

"Okay, so this is our Class Rep!" Alyssa said, grabbing hold of a girl with long brown hair. "Honeka-chan! She's in charge here, so do what she says!"

"Please ask me if you need anything." Honeka smiled.

"Oh, thanks, I-"

"I'm Hachiro, I'm the one who really knows what's going on around here!" A boy inturrupted.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Class Rep, but it's true."

The argument was soon swallowed by a clamour to introduce themselves.

"I'm Kiku."

"Mei, pleased to meet you."

"My name is Isamu, don't forget it."

"H-Hoshiko..."

"Katsu! Are we eating this or not?"

"I'm Emi, it's good to meet you."

"Call me Daisuke."

"Over here, I'm Goro, look me up if you're stuck."

"Momoko here."

"And I'm Nanami."

"Ryota Jindai, pleased to meet you."

"Um, I'm Shinobu, welcome..."

"Takumi is my name, but Taku will do, if you want. This is my beautiful girlfriend-"

"Yuzuki, and I can introduce myself!"

"But..."

"Hey, I'm Satomi. Good to meet you."

"...Nori."

"I'm Miki!"

"Akemi. Do you use that name in England?"

"Asuka, I heard that's a guy's name in England, you know..."

"I'm Hiroko. Pleased to meet you."

"Junko. Are we going to party or not?!"

"Megumi. Um... I made the banners... I hope you like them!"

"Ah, I'm Chiyo!"

Having introduced themselves, the class dispersed slightly. Izzy stood, trying to take all this in and failing utterly.

"Overload..." She muttered to Alyssa. "Am I meant to remember all that?!"

Alyssa laughed. "You'll get the hang of it. I-"

"Oi, Hako-chan!" Someone inturrupted. "Get over here and get the music on!"

"Be right there!" Alyssa replied, turning.

"Um, Hako-chan?" Izzy asked, bewildered. "Is that you?"

"Sure." Alyssa beamed. "It's short for my name."

"Hako is short for Alyssa?"

"No, it's short for Haruko." Alyssa laughed. "A lot of people don't like saying my first name so they use my middle one."

"Music!"

"Coming!" Alyssa yelled back. It seemed this class wasn't one that was unfamiliar or formal with one another. "You'll like this, Izzy, we did our best to learn some British music!"

A few moments later, ABBA was blasting out from a CD player in a corner of the classroom. Izzy didn't have the heart to tell them ABBA were not actually British. It didn't seem to matter. They were certainly having fun. A lot of rather noisy fun, at which Izzy seemed to be the centre. Finally, as the party got far too excited, she was able to take a step back. In fact, she found herself watching Alyssa, the Class Rep, and several other girls standing on the desks performing their somewhat unique version of 'Dancing Queen'. Alyssa and the Class Rep seemed to be the ringleaders. Between Alyssa's horrible voice and the Class Rep's broken English, and the bellowing of the entire group, she had never heard a version quite like it. Particularly when some of the boys decided they were not to be outdone and were up on the desks joining in.

It quite simply slaughtered the song, but she had never laughed quite so hard as she did that day. Izzy was laughing so hard, in fact, that she almost didn't notice the boy hovering awkwardly in the doorway, watching the proceedings.

"Um... can I help you?" She asked, lamely.

"Oh! No, it's fine." He assured her, seemingly embarrassed at being spotted. "I just, um, wanted to talk to Alyssa-chan. But, um, it looks like she's... busy."

Izzy attempted to hold back a laugh and failed. "That's one way of putting it, yes. Don't worry, the song is almost over."

"Right." He answered, still seeming slightly embarrassed. "So, um, are you new here? You wouldn't be the exchange student she mentioned, right?"

"That's me." Izzy answered. "I'm Isabella Corbey. Call me Izzy, though."

"Pleased to meet you." He nodded. "I'm Marik, I work on the Student Council with Alyssa-chan. We're the treasurers..."

"Oh, really?" Izzy smirked. Now, this was an interesting turn. Unfortunately, Alyssa noticed his presence before Izzy could probe him any more and promptly stumbled down from the table and across the room.

"S-senpai!" She stammered, blushing bright red and staring at the carpet. "Um... what brings you here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt." He answered. "I just came to see if you have the reports we talked about yesterday..."

"Oh, yes! They're in my locker! I'll go get them!"

"Don't worry." He assured her. "We don't need them till later. I was just passing, so, um, I thought I'd, um, check. Well, I'll leave you to it!"

With that, he disappeared. Alyssa groaned and rested her head on the doorframe, but otherwise said nothing.

"So. 'Giving something back', huh...?" Izzy smirked.

"Don't. Even. Start."

"Oh, but I think I finally worked out your real reason for joining the Student Council!" Izzy said, enjoying herself greatly. "Don't you want to hear it?"

Fortunately for Alyssa, the teacher entered at that point, and looked around in slight bemusement at the state of his classroom.

"I take it you've all met our new student." He said, eventually. "In that case, everyone in your seats for registration, please!"

* * *

Alyssa shoved the door to her locker short, deftly twisting the dial to input the combination. "Right!" She declared. "You have your room, your shoe locker, your book locker and your timetable... now there are only two things left to get hold of!"

"I'm guessing one is a uniform..." Izzy speculated. "What's the other?"

"Lunch!" Alyssa said cheerfully. "And the queue is going to build up in the canteen so let's go quickly to the shop, okay?"

"Fine by me..."

As they walked down the corridor, there was no-one else around- the halls had cleared already for the lunchtime rush. When they rounded a corner, however, they met someone coming the other way. Izzy couldn't help but stare. He made a striking figure. Alyssa noticed him too, and forced a slightly uncomfortable smile.

"Atem-senpai, hi! How are you?"

He walked past with just the briefest glance in their direction, and continued on his way, disappearing round the corner. Alyssa gave a noisy sigh.

"Geez..."

"Who was that?" Izzy asked, watching where he had been.

"Atem-senpai." Alyssa said. "I know what you're like with your offers of friendship. Give up now. He's completely uninterested. He's popular with the girls and people try to talk to him... but he doesn't want it. He wants to be alone, I guess. Come on, let's get to the shop."

Izzy followed, silent. She didn't believe anyone would choose to be alone. Not really.

* * *

Atem rounded the corner, leant against the wall, and willed his heart to slow down, clutched his head and tried to make it stop. Even when he closed his eyes, he could still see that the shadows were there, all around him, and it was him they were reacting to. He could stand up to them, but how long would it be before they consumed someone else? He had no answer to that question, nor to a million others. The shadows swirled around him.

* * *

**A/N: (Waffles4eva) _I didn't know what I was getting into when I started but it's fun, so I guess I'll just have to finish. That, and you'd shoot me._**

**A/N: (scooby2408) I really enjoyed that - she'd been teasing me about what exactly was in it and more precisely which characters that she was using; she only gave me the barest details in the previews that she created and** **so I shall leave you with the preview for next time and thanks for reading...  
**

"**No way! That's not fair!"**

"Alyssa, stick to the script..."

**"I'm not doing it!! I don't like this episode!"**

"Fine, then I'll narrate! Next time on Over the Rainbow... A mysterious figure-"

**"Don't steal my job!!"**

"Do it then!!"

**"But it's embarassing..."**

_"Ahhh! Have you seen the next episode script?! It says I-!"_

**"I know!"**

"We know! Alyssa PLEASE just do the narration!"

**"... I can't."**

"Arrgh, why not?"

**"Because... We're out of time! Over the Rainbow Episode Two: Phys Ed - The Climbing Wall of TERROR!!" **

"That was so overdramatic..."


	2. Phys Ed

**A/N: It's time for episode two of Over the Rainbow. The last episode was more introducing the characters and the setting. It's good fun watching them all squirm...  
**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours.

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_

Episode Two- Phys Ed: The Climbing Wall Terror!

"Izzy!" Alyssa frowned, banging on the door of E203. "Come on! I want breakfast!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming..." Izzy sighed, and opened her door. "Morning." She said, somewhat gloomily, as she slipped her shoes on in the doorway.

Alyssa tried to contain herself, for all of a second. Then she laughed. "Still not a fan of the uniform, then?"

"No." Izzy answered, flatly. "I miss my trousers."

"We all miss our trousers." Alyssa reassured her as they began to head down the corridor. "That's just the way it is. Still, look on the bright side! You're now the subject of fantasies of fanboys and perverts the world over!"

"No more than you." Izzy pointed out.

"Yes more than me." She grinned. "For a start, you're prettier- no, don't argue, let me finish- and you're a foreigner!"

"So are you."

"Only half!"

"Your name is Alyssa Trent! No-one would guess you were Japanese!"

"At least my middle name is Haruko! Yours is Helena!"

"You're still half English!"

"Whatever." Alyssa huffed. "Does it matter? Right now all I'm interested in is a _full _English! I want bacon! And hash browns!"

"Is food all you think about?"

"At this time of day, yes!"

"And the rest of the time, you think about Marik-senpai instead." Izzy added, casually checking her nails.

"H-huh?! What?!" Alyssa demanded, stumbling on the steps they were using to head for the canteen. "No I don't! What makes you say that?!"

"You love him?" Izzy smirked back. "I've been here, what, ten days? It's pretty obvious. I think he's the only one who doesn't realise."

"There's nothing to realise! You're wrong!"

"Ahhh, come on." Izzy teased, lightly. "Remember my first day here? Who would come see you just to see if you have some reports they don't need? He wanted to talk to you!"

"He... well... well, if I didn't have them we'd need to reprint them, that's all! So he wanted to know ahead of time!" Blushing slightly, she sought desperately for a change of subject. "Besides, you're obsessed with Atem-senpai!"

"I am not!"

"I hope not." Alyssa said, sobering up. "Izzy, listen... I feel bad for him, after everything- well, I feel bad that he's on his own all the time. But he doesn't want to be around people. Marik-senpai is in his class and he says-"

"Oh, of course. If _Marik-senpai _said it..."

"Gaah, shut up!" Alyssa whined as they went and joined the line for food. "You're so mean! But I just meant... you must have tried to speak to Atem-senpai fifteen times since you got here, and he's ignored you every time. Give up already."

"But... no-one should have to be on their own." Izzy said, quietly. "Nobody wants that. Not really."

"You'd be best to leave him alone. Really."

"I can't. Anyway... 'after everything'?"

"Hmm? Did I say that?"  
"Yeah. What did he do?"

"I don't know, I talk without thinking." She laughed. "Oooh, sausage!"

Izzy frowned at her friend's back, but said nothing more. If Alyssa wanted to tell her, she would; but it was hard. Her curiosity as to what connected Alyssa to Atem was burning, but it was a mystery that it seemed would not clear for sometime. As for her, she couldn't help it. Alyssa didn't understand, but she _couldn't _give up on him. She knew what it was like to be alone. She was the sort of person who protected her friends fiercely once she had them, but tended to have a few close ones rather than a wide selection of loose associations. Once, when they were younger, Alyssa had told her 'I think you're my only real friend even though I hardly ever see you. Everyone else is someone I just hang out with'. It seemed to Izzy that her friendships were often like that. Perhaps she didn't speak to that many people, but she would rather be close to those that she did. Unfortunately, such an outlook did occasionally cause problems. Like when all the girls in her friendship group had gone on a residential school trip for the week and she had been left behind. That week had almost driven her mad, she had been so unbearably lonely. Had some girls in her class not felt sorry for her and adopted her, she would have undoubtedly have been insane by the time the others returned. That was why Alyssa was wrong about Atem, she had to be wrong. No-one wanted to be alone, not really. No-one chose that, not unless the other option- to be with people- was far worse. Atem may say he didn't want or need friends, and Alyssa at least may have believed him, but Izzy didn't, not for a second. He probably needed a friend more than anyone else.

So... why not her? After all, she didn't really know anyone either; she was still the 'new girl' and the 'foreigner'. If she could find friends, surely he-

Her thoughts were abruptly inturrupted by Alyssa giving a shriek of horror, which gradually petered out into a groan. They had collected their trays now and had been heading for a seat when the sudden outburst had occurred. Alyssa rested her head against the wall, moaning quietly.

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"Are you waiting for me to ask?" Izzy said, eventually.

"Yes."

"Well, I'm not going to."

"Fine by me."

"...Are you just going to stay there all day?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I, on the other hand, am going to eat breakfast." With that, she turned to leave,

"Wait, I'll talk, I'll talk." Alyssa gave in, but didn't look up, her forehead still pressed to the wall. "Look at this." Still without moving, she tapped a notice blue tacked to the wall next to her. Izzy turned her attention to it:

**Climbing Wall Rota- September**

_Please read carefully and bring appropriate footwear! The climbing wall is not to be used __**under any circumstances**__ without supervision from a member of staff or senior member of the climbing club!_

8th-10th September ---------------------------------- First year induction and climbing club trials

15th-20th September ------------------------------ ----------------------------Classes 1A, 1B, 1C

22nd-26th September ---------------------------------------------------------- Classes 1D, 1E, 1F

29th September-2nd October----------------------------------------------------Classes 2A, 2B, 2C

_Further dates to be confirmed next month._

"Today is the 30th, isn't it?" Izzy mused. "Does that mean we'll be doing the climbing wall in PE today?"

"Yes!" Alyssa wailed. "I can't believe it's come around already!"

"I thought the wall looked kinda fun?" Izzy tried.

"Maybe to someone like you who can do basically anything! I suck at the climbing wall! Even more than I suck at everything else! Gaah..."

"Oh, come on." Izzy tried. "Our classmates are great. It should be fun if we all do it together and don't take it too seriously, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Alyssa sighed, finally peeling herself from the wall and going to sit down. "Everyone's a lot nicer to me than last year, so it should be fine, right? Right!" Finding a table, she busied herself by eating her breakfast rather furiously.

Izzy ate hers more sedately, and silently. She wanted to ask why they would be nicer than last year, but somehow, she didn't think she'd get an answer.

* * *

That afternoon, the time came for their PE block. Alyssa seemed unusually quiet while they were having the session explained to them and then changing, but when Izzy told her it would be fine, she smiled and said she knew, before grimacing slightly and stating a wish to just get it 'over and done with'. Outside, when the girls were reunited with the boys, she seemed like her typical self- if only because of her almost immediate argument with Hachiro.

"You going to fall off again, Hako-Hako-chan? Because it was really funny before, watching you swing like a pendulum in the breeze."

"For a start," She growled. "That metaphor makes no sense! Why would a pendulum be in a breeze?! And it wasn't funny, and my name isn't Hako-Hako-chan! It's Haruko or just plain Alyssa!"

"No-one can say Alyssa, and it was funny, Hako-Hako-chan."

"Don't call me that! It wasn't funny!"

"What, do you want Hako-Hako-chi-chi?"

"Only if you want to be called Hatishoo!"

"Whatever, Hako-chan, at least I can get to the top of the wall!"

"The grips are too far apart, I can't reach them!"

"That's because you're such a shortie, Hako-chan."

"Don't call me that!"

"Would you rather I called you shortie?"

Izzy finally turned away, leaving the bickering to run on unwitnessed. She wondered if they were intending to stop any time soon, but it didn't seem that way. One of the girls, Satomi, saw her face and laughed lightly.

"They're pretty much always like that. They lived next door to each other as kids. Don't count on them to stop anytime soon."

"I wasn't, I know Alyssa too well." She chuckled. "It's nice to see her having fun with everyone. She said... something about how she didn't get on too well last year?"

"Oh..." Satomi shifted uncomfortably. "That was... well... it was just a little misunderstanding. But really, what were we meant to think? All the evidence-"

"Hayasaka-chan!" The teacher called. "You're up!"

"Oh, coming!" Satomi called back, and ran off, with some relief. It seemed like she couldn't wait to take her turn. Probably to get out of the conversation. Izzy sighed a little, wondering if she would ever get any answers. Alyssa was still arguing with Hachiro- "Yeah, well, at least I can speak English!" "Does the phrase 'unfair advantage' mean anything to you?!"- and most of her other classmates had split into little groups to watch as the climbers went up. It seemed she had a moment's peace. She turned to look around as she heard the tramping of feet. The climbing wall on the side of the gym was close to a track designed as a long-distance course that snaked all around the school and grounds, and it seemed the third years were out on a run that day. She watched as they streaked by. The truth was, she had heard Atem was fast and wanted to see for herself. However, she didn't manage it. Her attention was drawn back to the climbing wall by a thud, and a scream. Satomi. The coach was over there in an instant.

"Hayasaka! Are you alright?! What happened?"

"My... arm...."

"She fell, sensei, and swung against the wall!"

The teacher sighed noisily. "This why I told you all to be careful! Well, we'll go to the nurse. Until then, Wateba-chan, you're in charge."

"Yes, sir!" Honeka, the class rep, nodded. A moment later, the teacher had disappeared with the injured girl, and the others stepped up to take their turn. Including Alyssa. She looked rather daunted.

"Don't worry!" Izzy called to her. "It's fine! I know you can do it!"

"I wish I shared your confidence." Alyssa replied wryly, stepping into the harness. Miki and Akemi carefully checked it was secure.

"You're all ready to go!" Miki said, cheerfully.

"The harness might be, she isn't!" Another of the class cat-called. Alyssa looked embarrassed.

"Shut up!" Izzy snapped, smacking the culprit around the head. "She's going to get to the top! Just you wait!"

"Um, you might be being a _little _optimistic there, Izzy..." Alyssa put in, looking up at the climbing wall. The top seemed a very long way away.

"No!" Izzy barked at her, fixing her with a sharp look. "You have the capability to do it, you just lack the confidence!"

"Apparently you don't." Alyssa retorted.

"No, I don't!" Izzy agreed. "Now, get up there!"

And she did. It took her a long time, it was somewhat painful to watch, and it seemed that the only thing that kept her from giving up was Izzy yelling encouragement or threats by turn. Just a few metres from the top, she stopped again.

"Go on!" Izzy shouted at her. "What are you waiting for?!"

"The number twenty-seven bus!" Alyssa snapped back. "That's it, I'm done! I can't do any more!"

"You've said that fifteen times already! Just do it!"

"My arms and legs hurt, I can't reach the next bit, I don't have the strength and it's just not happening!"

"Don't make me come up there!"

Alyssa didn't reply for a moment, then her classmates on the ground caught her laughter echoing down.

"Why do I believe you mean that...?"

"Because I do! I know you can do it, so just do it!"

"Fine, I'll try..." Came the doubtful reply, and she strained for the next handhold. Izzy shouted up, cheered and did whatever motivational things she could as the rest of the class, caught up in the moment, joined in. It was too much to believe. Alyssa had never made it to the top of the wall before, and it seemed this girl had convinced her. A metre from the top, Alyssa seemed to get a second wind. Perhaps, for the first time, she believed she could do it. And she did.

In all the excitement of the climb, no-one had noticed one of the third years slipping away from the group, and back inside the school. No-one had noticed that same person on the roof of the gym, or that Alyssa's rope was tampered with, the extra length that dropped through a pulley as she climbed secured in a place it was not supposed to be. She herself didn't realise, until she attempted to lean back and abseil back down.

"You know, you could come down now!" Someone called up to her, after several minutes of Alyssa clinging to the top of the wall, basking in the view and her triumph. "You did it, we get it."

"Fine." Alyssa sighed, and attempted to move. The rope jammed, stuck, and would not move. "Um..."

"What's the hold up?!"

"The rope is stuck!" She called back. "I can't get it to run through the pulley! How am I going to get down without undoing the harness?"

No-one answered her, instead muttering worriedly between themselves. This was certainly an unusual situation, and only Alyssa would have been capable of getting herself into it.

"Maybe she could climb over the top onto the roof and untangle it?" Isamu suggested.

"But the handholds stop a metre and a half before the roof. She'd never reach."

"There has to be a way up there!" Izzy protested, watching her friend clinging helplessly to the wall. "Someone attached the pulleys, after all!"

"They've been there for years." Honeka replied, showing signs of stress that this had happened while she was in charge. "I mean, there's an access ladder, but-"

"Where is it?!"

"You have to go all the way to the top of the main school building and down a ladder from the roof. But it's a long climb and the ladder's unsafe. I won't let you go!"

"Then I'll go up the wall and see if I can do anything."

"No way! Not when you've never tried before! I'll have to go find the coach-"

"There isn't time! You don't know Alyssa like I do, she'll fall!" With that, Izzy ran for the wall, having to be physical stopped by someone grabbing hold of her from behind. She struggled, but it didn't help.

Honeka had no time to go and get the coach. She didn't even have time to finish her sentence before she was inturrupted by a mixture of shocked cries, muttering, cheering and laughter from their classmates. Izzy stopped struggling to look, worried for a moment that Alyssa had come unstuck and started to fall, but the reality was quite different.

Marik had started to climb.

From where the third years had been running, it had been easy enough to see- and hear- Alyssa's predicament as she clung to the top of the wall and her classmates shouted various unhelpful things at her. Izzy had wondered if she was the only one who was worried- did they not realise Alyssa's amazing talent at hurting herself?- but it seemed not. She allowed herself a small smile. If it was love, she supposed she couldn't interfere. Seeing that she wasn't going to try anything, the hands on her arms let go and they all stood to watch the show.

Marik, as it later turned out, was in the climbing club. Indeed, many said he would have been the captain had it not been for his responsibilities on the student council. The only reason he had time to be in the club at all was because Alyssa shared in those responsibilities. Izzy had seen him running track, and he wasn't very fast. At all. Atem had zoomed past like a blur, while Marik, clearly putting the effort in, was just before those that weren't trying at all. As such, she was a little surprised to see him scurrying up the wall like an overly confident monkey. He was clearly familiar with the route to the top, and did what had taken Alyssa almost twenty minutes in a matter of moments. She, needless to say, was surprised to see him and her yelp was audible all the way at the bottom of the wall. Izzy just wished she could see her face.

"M-Marik-senpai!" Alyssa said. "Um... hi."

"Hello." He replied, as if they had simply met in the corridor. "How are you?"

"...I'm stuck." Alyssa answered, not sure how she could hide it. "The rope... um, it isn't feeding through the pulley and... um... I don't have enough length to get down."

"Hmm..." Marik said by way of reply, peering up to the top. "I can't see if it's caught on something. So let's try this." With that, he wrapped the rope around his wrist and gave a sharp tug. Alyssa screamed.

"Did I scare you?" He smiled, trying not to laugh. "Sorry, I should have warned you. But this happens more often then you'd probably think, the rope getting caught up. Someone should really clean the roof off sometime. Try it now."

"O-okay." Alyssa still couldn't look at him, looking down, at what she was doing, anywhere but at him. Maybe he wouldn't notice her blush of embarrassment, even though he insisted on climbing down at her pace. This made her self-conscious and she was even slower than usual. Finally, however, she stumbled down and over towards Izzy. Izzy smirked, and, sensing the impending teasing, Alyssa sighed.

"Say nothing."

"I'm not saying anything. This speaks for itself."

"Izzy, this is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me! Can't you be a little more supportive?"

"I could be laughing, think yourself lucky."

"Gaaaah, you suck." Alyssa pouted, going off elsewhere. Strangely, it was then Marik chose to approach.

"Izzy-chan, may I speak to you?" He asked, sounding solemn. "Um, but don't tell Alyssa-chan, okay?"

"What's the matter?" Izzy asked, sensing trouble and immediately alert.

"The fact is, she couldn't have got the rope caught on something by accident. Not that much. It took all my strength to pull it free, and the ropes are designed so they're hard to tangle."

"Well, Alyssa does have a special skill..." Izzy began to joke before seeing his face. "What are you saying?"

"Someone did that on purpose." He said, darkly. "Did you see anyone?"

"No, sorry, I missed it... Who would've-"

"I'm not certain." Marik said, though his tone suggested otherwise. "Well then, please excuse me. Izzy-chan, Atem-kun."

_Atem_?

Izzy turned around quickly. She had assumed the person who had held her back was a classmate, someone who had already been in the group. But no, there was no mistaking him. Atem, silent as ever, standing behind her. He must have followed Marik and some of the other third years over on hearing all the commotion. He still hadn't said a word.

"Hello there." She said, smiling. He didn't reply. Her smile slipped a little. "Just so you know," she said. "Ignoring me will only make me more determined to talk to you. So why did you stop me? To let someone who would know what to do go and help her? Do you think Marik-senpai likes her too? Or was it to stop me hurting myself?"

Atem shrugged non-committally. "I was just the closest by." He said.

"I don't think so. I think, if Marik hadn't got there, you would have gone up there yourself. Am I right?"

He looked at her, a strange look in his eyes. She met his gaze unwaveringly, until finally he looked away. "I don't save people." He muttered, eventually. "And you would do better to stay away from me. I don't need your attention."

With that, he turned and left. Somehow, she knew nothing she could say would make him stop. At least, not yet.

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**_A/N: (Waffles4eva) I preferred this episode to the first one, overall. I felt like more happened even though it was shorter, and I'd gotten past all the awkward character and location introductions. Even so, whenever I think of Alyssa doing the climbing wall and Izzy encouraging her drill sergant style, I find myself singing 'The Eye of the Tiger'. What a tune._**

**A/N: (scooby2408) That was another one that I enjoyed - let the teasing commence. Oh, and the 'waiting for the 27 bus line comes from one my local buses that is beyond stupid. It's never ever there when you need it!!! I hope you guy enjoyed it and thanks for reading. I'll leave you with the preview for next time:**

**"You HAVE to come!!"**

"Can we talk about this after we make the preview? Do your job for once."

**_"_Fine... Next time on Over the Rainbow- Will you come?!" **

"Will you just do the preview?!"

**"Fine, next time, blah blah blah... Fun, food, full moon, etc... and Izzy should come!!"**

**(Or my plan will fail...)**

"What was that?"

**"Noooooooothing."**

"Whatever, I'm not going."

(Or my plan won't work.)

**Script says you are!"**

"What?!?!NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...."

**"... Script says you want to come."**

"... Oh. That's alright then."

**"Next time on Over the Rainbow! Episode Three: Festival - By the Light of the Full Moon!  
**


	3. Festival

**A/N: It's time again for the next episode of Over the Rainbow and it's festival time!! It'll be all fun, food and games, won't it?  
**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

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Episode Three: Festival- By the Light of the Full Moon!

"Oh, I meant to tell you." Alyssa said one morning over breakfast. "You'll need a furisode."

With that, she went back to eating her breakfast, which, on this occasion, was a bowl of cornflakes.

It was the beginning of October, and despite having been in Japan several weeks- and, indeed, having known Alyssa for years- Izzy still couldn't understand her friend's random outbursts. Her needing a furisode, whatever one was, was news to her. However, while unexplained, Alyssa's outbursts were no longer terribly unexpected. She was just waiting for Izzy to ask. Izzy had yet to decide if she would be better off knowing or not. All in all, she wasn't in a rush to find out.

Quite apart from the non-sequiter of Alyssa's conversation, there were many other things Izzy had found herself getting used to. Already she had gotten the hang of most of her classmates' names and their local slang that had at first defeated her Osakan, formal dialect. She no longer got lost walking around the school or travelling around town. She had caught up in class all the things that had not been on the English curriculum and had even become familiar with superstitions, money, and a diet where everything seemed to come with rice, fish, or both.

Unfortunately, other things were not progressing so well. For example, despite Izzy's best efforts, Alyssa was still refusing to admit her obvious feelings for her fellow treasurer, Marik. If anything, things had gotten worse since the climbing wall incident. Completely incompetent in matters of the heart, the girl had always been shy around Marik; but now she could hardly speak to him beyond their council duties and the poor boy had no idea what he was supposed to have done. Nor did Izzy have any idea what she was supposed to have done, because Atem seemed to be studiously ignoring her even more than he did everyone else. Alyssa's helpful input to this problem was 'He either likes you or hates you. Either way, he's probably sick of your friendship attempts'.

Well, whatever Alyssa thought, Izzy had no intention of giving up. She knew Atem did not really want to be alone. She had been watching him, in the school canteen at lunch and around the corridors. She saw how he watched others, would go as if to join them, to say something, and then silently withdraw. She wondered what he was so afraid of, what he was seeking to avoid. He was mysterious, an enigma, a puzzle, a curiosity- and she hated puzzles. Rubiks cubes, crosswords, sudoku, people, whatever wasn't immediately obvious she had a tendency to want to solve. There was an added riddle, too. Izzy was certain something had occurred in the school the previous year, something that connected Alyssa and Atem and possibly even Marik. The question was what and Alyssa, wary of Izzy's suspicions, was not going to be forthcoming with answers. So perhaps Atem was the way to go- be his friend and get some solutions at the same time.

Speaking of answers, back in the reality of the small East Dorm Breakfast-and-Dinner Only Canteen, Izzy was still none the wiser as to what a furisode was. Or, for that matter, why she would require one. Alyssa was not forthcoming with those answers either, so it seemed she would have to ask.

"Forgive me for not being able to read your mind, Alyssa," she began, sipping her morning cup of tea like a true Englishman. "But what, exactly, is a furisode?"

"Oh. It's a long sleeved kimono worn by unmarried women." She explained. "It's not the most ideal thing in the world to get at short notice, but you can usually hire them from the school shop at this time of year, and Miki-chan said she could lend you one. Seemed pretty excited about finally getting to dress you up, too. Don't worry, I bet it will suit you- Miki-chan is bound to have something."

"And why," Izzy continued calmly. "Do I need this furisode?"

"Because it's too cold to be out at night in yakuta."

For a moment, Izzy was almost tempted to ask what a yakuta was, but knew Alyssa too well and feared the point being lost.

"And why will I be out at night?"

"Because it's sorta hard to view the moon during the day?"

"Moon viewing?" She blinked.

"The festival! At the shrine on Saturday!" Alyssa sighed. "I did tell you..."

"No, you didn't." Izzy frowned.

"Well, everyone's talking about it!" She suddenly looked away. "Anyway, all the girls are either going there on a date or hoping to, so I thought-"

"Marik-senpai might ask you?" Izzy asked with a grin.

"No! I thought someone might ask you!" She answered, hotly. "But it's Thursday already and it looks likely that the two of us will remain single-pringles for at least the next seventy-two hours, so we can go together, right?"

"Well..." Izzy considered. She had never been to an authentic Japanese festival before, but...

"You don't have a choice, by the way." Alyssa smirked. "It's traditional! I just like to give you the illusion of choice."

"You know," Izzy sighed. "You could always ask him, if there's someone you'd rather go with."

"I don't know who you mean." Alyssa said airily, standing up with her now empty bowl. "So it's settled. We'll go together! I missed it last year, I can't wait!"

"Why'd you miss it?" Izzy asked, curiously

"Had no-one to go with." Alyssa shrugged. "But this time I do! The yay!"

"Alyssa..." Izzy said, slowly. "What happened last year?"

But once again, Alyssa didn't give her any answers.

* * *

By the time they reached the main school building and were changing their shoes to go in, Izzy had a plan. It was a magnificent plan.

If Alyssa wouldn't ask Marik, Izzy would- then, at the festival, sneak away and leave them alone together. Perfect.

Mulling over the execution of this plan, she stood some distance away from where Alyssa was taking her indoor shoes out of the little locker marked 'Tenutu' in kanji. She just had time to whip her fingers out of the way as someone slammed the door.

Physically, he was not that imposing. He was taller than Alyssa, but no more so than anyone else. Even so, he was intimidating. His eyes held no kindness. His smile, his smirk, exuded a sense of unbearable smugness. Izzy instinctively didn't like him. Alyssa didn't look at him, stared at the shoe locker. She swallowed, and spoke.

"What do you want, Bakura?"

"My, my." He tutted, his tone smooth and unhurried. "You really should call me senpai..."

"Yes, but I don't want to imply I respect you."

"Oh, it seems somebody started to grow a backbone." He answered, his eyebrows raising slightly. He leant in close, smirking in her face. "What a foolish thing to do."

Alyssa sighed and went to open her shoe locker again, but Bakura still had his hand pressed to it to stop her.

"I'm not finished with you." He said, almost playfully. "I'd like to test that backbone. Or are you going to wait for Marik to come and save you yet again? That was a wonderful display on the climbing wall, by the way. If you had possessed the courage to pull, you could have easily freed the rope. You truly embody what it means to be pathetic."

"It- It was you?" Alyssa stammered.

"Of course it was me. Or are there lots of people who want to see you dangling helplessly in the air?"  
All this time, Izzy had been waiting to see Alyssa's backbone in action, to see her give some witty retort or start shouting or even just kick him in the shins and be done with it. But none of these things happened. Instead, Alyssa stared at the floor with apparent resignation. Either she was frightened or this had happened innumerable times before. Izzy was furious with this unfamiliar third year. It didn't matter who he was, how dare he treat her friend this way?

"Leave her alone!" She snapped. "Don't you have a hole you can go crawl into?"

"Oh." He said, mockingly, his eyes not leaving Alyssa. "Not Marik, this time? No, this time you're hiding behind a little foreign girl."

Alyssa said nothing, so Izzy tried again.

"Leave her alone!" She commanded. "What the heck is your problem?! Alyssa hasn't done anything, so quit trying to intimidate her! You think you're tough, but you're just pathetic!"

"I'm not the pathetic one." Bakura sneered. "At least I can fight my own battles. This girl has never done anything for herself."

"Alyssa is not-!"

"Izzy, would you please just butt out?!" Alyssa snapped suddenly, changing her shoes in an instant and stalking away. Izzy had no choice but to follow in silence. By the time they got upstairs to their classroom and had taken their seats, form began. At break, she had student council duties and left hurriedly. At lunch they had halting conversation about nothing in particular, and just as Izzy was working her way up to the point, the vice-president of the Student Council came and apologetically asked Alyssa if she wouldn't mind coming back.

"Sorry, Haruko-chan." He said. "I told Takei-kun that break wouldn't be enough, but you know. Do you mind coming to another meeting?"

"No problem. Did you find the others yet?"

"I found the secretaries already. Any idea where Marik-kun is?"

Izzy gave a small smile as Alyssa checked her watch. Of course she would know where he was. She knew everything about him.

"He's probably helping set up for the climbing club."

"Could you go get him? I haven't had chance to buy any food yet..."

"Oh, sure. I'll meet you in the office." She stood up as the vice-president wandered away. Izzy grinned and attempted to return to their usual light hearted teasing.

"Are you going to be able to tell him between all that going red and stammering?" She joked. To her surprise, Alyssa didn't give her normal flustered reaction and feigned annoyance. This time, the irritation in her eyes seemed genuine.

"Just be quiet, Izzy. I'll see you in class."

With that, she left; leaving Izzy feeling that something here was very wrong.

* * *

After that, they didn't really have time to talk. Alyssa returned only just before class was due to start, and there was no opportunity for Izzy to ask about what had happened that morning. Izzy, however, couldn't help but notice something rather hostile in Alyssa's aura. She got the feeling Alyssa was mad at her, but couldn't see what she had done except defend her. If Alyssa had a problem, let her say so.

Unfortunately, Alyssa didn't say so, and at the end of the day they headed back to East Dorm in uncomfortable silence. When they reached their rooms, Izzy could no longer take it.

"What?!" She demanded. "What am I supposed to have done?!"

"Huh?" Alyssa said innocently, turning around.

"You've been giving me the cold shoulder all day! What have I done?"

"Nothing."

"Then stop acting like I have!" She sighed. "All I did was defend you-"

That hit the spot. Alyssa suddenly fired up. The only thing Izzy couldn't understand was why she hadn't done it to Bakura. "Defend me?!" She spat. "All you did was make things worse! Now he thinks I won't stand up for myself!"

"Oh, yes." Izzy rolled her eyes. "Because you were doing _such _a good job of standing up for yourself. Why didn't _you_ tell him where to stick it if you didn't want me to?"

"Because it won't help! He lives off the attention! If you rise to it he'll just turn it up!"

"So you're afraid of him?"  
"No! I just know how he works!" Alyssa threw her hands up in frustration. "This is just like with Atem-senpai! You just can't help but interfere! You see something that doesn't match up to your standards and you just have to _fix _it! Only you don't, you just annoy everyone and make things worse!"

"It's better than doing nothing!" Izzy yelled back, turning towards the door to E203.

"It is not!" Alyssa thundered as she opened the door to E204. "You should try it sometime!"

"Fine!"

"Good! Leave me alone, Izzy!"

"Fine, see how long you last!"

The doors slammed at the same time.

Five minutes later, Alyssa stood outside the door to E203 with a sigh. She supposed Izzy had only been trying to help, she wasn't to know she was being stupid. She should apologise for yelling. But Izzy _had _been stupid, no doubt about it, so why _should _she apologise? Angry again, Alyssa went back inside her own room instead.

Seven minutes later, Izzy stood outside the door to E204 with a sigh. She supposed Alyssa could have a point. After all, she didn't really know the situation- if she really _had _made things worse, she should apologise. Then again, she _had _been trying to help, and Alyssa didn't seem to be able to see that. Alyssa was the one being stupid about it, so why _should _she apologise? Angry again, Izzy returned to her own room.

Ten minutes later, both Izzy happened to be taking a little walk in the direction of each other's rooms and happened to meet in the corridor. They stared at the floor.

"Listen-" Izzy began.

"Look," Alyssa said at the same time. They both stopped and stared at the floor again.

There was an awkward silence. Then Alyssa suddenly started laughing.

"We're useless at this arguing thing. Let's give up."

"Fine by me." Izzy agreed. "Can we go see Miki-chan? I still need a yakuta."

"A furisode." Alyssa corrected, and they headed over to S311. All was well.

As such, Izzy could return to her plan. She had to somehow convince Marik to accompany them to the festival and she did not yet know him well enough to have any real idea of his schedule. She could ask Alyssa, but then Alyssa would be suspicious. She would have to find someone else to ask.

Thankfully, her opportunity came at break the next day. Alyssa excused herself, saying she had some errands to run and Izzy knew she had to work fast. She had worked out the structure of the Student Council already. There were four third years, Takei the president, Ichijo the vice president, Nodoka served as a secretary, and of course, Marik himself, a treasurer. Alyssa was a treasurer from the second year, while Imatsu and Jonji served as the other two secretaries. These three would form the basis of the council the following year. Below these seven was the broader student council, with the class reps and vice reps almost like the civil servants to the student body. It was a well-oiled machine; and it meant there was one person who might know where Marik would be.

"Honeka-chan." She said, having been taught that calling her 'Class Rep' wasn't done in Class 2A. Mostly because Hachiro, who had known her for a decade and a half, refused to do any such thing. "Would you know where Marik-senpai is?"

"Marik-senpai? The treasurer?"

"That's right." Izzy nodded. "I need to speak to him."

"Izzy-chan." Honeka sighed. "You're not trying to play matchmaker on poor Hako-chan, are you...?"

"Well..." Izzy wanted to lie, but found she couldn't to someone as honest as Honeka. "Yeah."

"Good girl!" Honeka beamed. "He's usually down on the playing fields when the weather is nice."

"It's October."

"But it isn't raining."

As such, Izzy found herself heading down to the playing fields. There was an oak tree next to the running track, and underneath it a group of boys were sprawling. There was no mistaking Marik, even from such a distance, given his distinctive hair. He didn't seem to be involved in the talk and laughter, and drawing closer to him, she saw that he was engrossed in a book, his back leant against the tree. She walked over, and the other boys looked up. Feeling slightly self-conscious, she tried to get Marik's attention.

"Um... Marik-senpai?"

There was no response. Taking pity on her, one of his friends nudged Marik with his foot.

"Marik. Guest."

"Hmm?" He looked up. "Oh! Izzy-chan! Is everything okay?"

"Fine." She answered, looking at the book he was reading. "...Isn't Alyssa reading that one?"

"Oh, yeah. I saw her reading it and it looked interesting, so I got a copy out of the library..." He looked away sheepishly. Izzy had to hide a smile. These two would be the sort of couple that would read to each other on park benches. They were ridiculously cute and too stupid to see it.

She decided to cut to the chase. "Are you going to the festival? Down at the shrine tomorrow?"

"I hadn't really thought about it yet..." He said, sounding a little uncomfortable. Izzy suddenly realised how much this would sound like a date and decided to quickly educate him.

"You should come with us. I know it would mean a lot to Alyssa if you did."

"Alyssa's coming?" He asked, and his friends laughed at some inside joke. Izzy had a good idea at what it might be. She nodded. "Oh..." He continued. "I'm not sure she'd want me there."

"Are you kidding?" Izzy raised an eyebrow. "I think she'd rather go with you than anyone else."

"Oh, um, I-I don't know about that..."

"Just come." Izzy sighed. "It'll be fun!"

"Well, if you really don't mind..." He smiled slightly. "I look forward to it."

"Me too." Izzy said, her smile more of a smirk. Phase one was complete.

* * *

As she sat with Alyssa eating lunch, Izzy couldn't help but feel a little smug. Alyssa was probably going to strangle her for this. Izzy was still deciding what to tell her- on the one hand, if she was surprised to see Marik he might think it was odd and she really didn't want him there; and she might even put a bit more effort into her appearance. On the other hand, if she knew what Izzy planned to do in leaving the two of them alone, she might refuse to go along with it, or to go at all. It was a conundrum, but eventually Izzy decided to tell her Marik was coming but not of the plan to abandon the two of them. The truth was, she was feeling too pleased with herself not to share it. Alyssa had noticed too.

"You're grinning like the cat that got the cream." She said suspiciously. "Somehow, it makes me nervous when you seem so pleased with yourself."

"No, I'm just happy." Izzy denied. "These things are always more fun with more people."

"What things?" Alyssa asked, nervousness increasing.

"Oh, festivals and stuff." Izzy said, lightly. "Marik-senpai's coming with us. Hope that's okay."

For a moment, Alyssa was paralyzed in apparent horror, frozen in pre-emptive embarrassment. Izzy expected the screaming to start, but to her surprise she could almost see Alyssa mentally calming herself down as the girl took a sip of her drink.

"That's okay." She said, eventually, picking up a sandwich. "It means I won't get lonely when you and Atem-senpai are lost in each other's eyes."

"W-What? He's coming with us?!"

"Uh-huh."

"...We won't be 'lost in each other's eyes'!" Izzy snapped, and having got that out of the way, got to the more pressing issue. "But... how?! He's allergic to people! He hardly even speaks to you! How did you convince him?! How?!"

"Trade secret." Alyssa smirked. "Maybe I'm just more persuasive than you."

This wasn't actually true. At break, Alyssa had gone to track Atem down and events had unfolded in the following fashion:

"Atem-senpai!" Alyssa said cheerfully, bounding up to him. "I found you! I knew you'd be in the library."

Actually, this wasn't true. She had searched at least ten other rooms. But he didn't need to know that. He glanced up from his work, but that was all the acknowledgement he gave her.

"I wanted to ask you something." Alyssa persevered. "You know the festival tomorrow? I'm going with my friend and I want you to come too. You will, right?"

"No thanks." He answered, not looking up.

"Please?" She pouted, but the puppy dog eyes weren't going to work when he wasn't looking at her.

"No, I don't want to. Sorry." He grunted.

"Oh..." She said. "I see... I'm sorry I disturbed you, I-I j-just..."

Some catch in her voice made him look up. She was hiding her face.

"...Are you crying?" He said, surprised.

"I'm s-sorry. It's s-stupid." She sniffed, wiping her eyes and trying to stop the tears.

"Stop crying!" He demanded, horrified.

"It's... it's just..." She sobbed. "I never thanked you properly for last year and... my m-mom always told me you had to pay off your debts or it's a sin... and I tried s-so hard to t-thank you properly and be your f-friend and a-all... all I've d-done is be a bother to you... I'm sorry! I'll go!" Still covering her face, she turned to leave. People were staring, Atem noticed uncomfortably. He touched her arm, gently.

"Um... please, don't cry."

"I'm n-not..." She lied.

"Look..." He said, slowly. "I'll come. So stop crying, please... it's al-"

"You will?!" She said, turning round with a huge grin. "Great! So meet us at the gates to the dorms at 5PM tomorrow, okay?!"

With that, she ran off and left Atem with the suspicious feeling that he had been duped.

Back in the canteen that lunchtime, having been greeted with the fact that Atem as well as Marik would be joining them at the festival, Izzy supposed it was all for the best. Assuming that her friend had more self-respect then to fake tears to blackmail him, it never crossed her mind that this is what Alyssa had done. Quite frankly, she had no idea what Alyssa had done to convince him. Somewhere deep inside she felt a little resentful that Alyssa had apparently succeeded where she had failed in befriending him, but she quickly quashed the feeling. Alyssa had obviously done this to give her the chance to become better acquainted with Atem, and that was just what she would do. While leaving Alyssa and Marik to become better acquainted. Honestly, if _one _of them hadn't confessed by the end of a romantic night under the stars, there was little hope for them. Now all she had to do was wait.

* * *

The door creaked open so slowly, it was almost scary. Izzy wondered if they were going to do any better this time. The previous occasion they had visited S311 it had been just a few minutes before Miki's favourite idol show, the Pink Princess, was due to start. So, she had simply looked Izzy up and down, compared her with some colours- leaving Izzy feeling like a carpet sample- and thrown them both out. Alyssa had just laughed and promised Miki would have something ready by Saturday. However, tonight, even she seemed slightly nervous. Perhaps it was just the prospect of meeting Marik.

When she had come to meet Izzy, she had already been dressed in a furisode. It was a fairly plain affair, a sort of lime green that didn't really suit her and a handful of small white flowers embroidered at the hem. Still, it was Izzy's first time seeing Alyssa in traditional dress, and like any good friend, she had laughed. And then complimented her. Alyssa had just replied to wait to see what Miki had lined up for _her _and lead the way across to South block, navigating the stairs awkwardly in the wooden zori that were the appropriate footwear with kimono. They had knocked, and here they were, watching the door open creepily.

"So you came back." Miki said. "Come in!" She added in delight, grabbing Izzy by both wrists and dragging her inside. Alyssa hurried in before the door slammed shut and just laughed as Izzy was pushed behind a changing screen, a furisode pushed into her hands. Miki bounced in a mixture of excitement and impatience as Izzy was changing. It was taking some time.

"What's the hold up?" Alyssa asked, eventually.

"I've never put one of these on before." Izzy complained. "Give me a chance to work it out. Anyway, I think I'm done."

She emerged from behind the screen, for all of half a second. Alyssa caught a flash of red but that was all; Izzy was even more surprised as Miki all but rugby tackled her back into hiding.

"We're not done yet!"

It was then Izzy noticed that her classmate was armed with brushes and make-up. Resistance was futile, though the screen was almost knocked over in the process.

Finally, Miki walked back over to Alyssa and knocked her hands together in a crude imitation of a drum roll. A little embarrassed, Izzy emerged like a butterfly from the cocoon. Alyssa smiled.

"See? I said Miki-chan would do a good job!"

"Mmm..." Izzy said, looking away. She wasn't used to it yet, though she admitted the kimono was beautiful. It was coloured a brilliant red, the golden under robe and obi given an impression of the sun. The pattern embroidered across the robe was of flowers and leaves, picked out in gold and black and twirling around each other. Miki had also provided her with what she called the necessary accessories, a folding fan and a small drawstring purse that could hang from her wrist or be tucked into her hanging sleeves and their secret pockets. Miki had not stopped there, attacking her hair and face too. At least her make-up application was more subtle than her personality, accenting what was already there rather than trying to make something new. It seemed a little too much effort for a festival, but it looked good at least. Her hair, too, had been tried in about five different styles before her dark brown hair was allowed to fall naturally down her back and the sides of her face, bar the two small plaits that lay down either side. All of her was red and gold and brown, apparently to reflect the season. That didn't matter to her, and she didn't like to think of herself as vain, but she admitted Miki had done a good job. "What do you think?" She asked Alyssa.

"I think you look like you're about to play Quidditch for Gryffindor."

Izzy scowled. "Thanks."

Alyssa laughed. "Oh, come on, I'm just teasing. Atem-senpai won't be able to keep his eyes off you, okay? Shall we go?"

"Hold it right there, Alyssa Haruko Trent." Miki said in an evil voice. "Where do you think you're going?"

"The festival." Alyssa answered, sounding worried.

"Dressed in _that_?"

"Yes." Alyssa said, defiant.

"Dressed in _that_, the same one you've been wearing since _Middle School_, the one with _spring _colours that don't even _suit _you?"

Alyssa decided the sensible thing to do at this stage would be to run. Unfortunately, Izzy turned traitor and grabbed her, shoving her away from the doors and into Miki's clutches, who then sent her off grumbling behind the screen with a furisode of her own.

"I've been waiting for _years_ to dress Alyssa up." She said, happily. "Thank you for your help."

"No problem." Izzy said, smirking. "She has to look her best for Marik-senpai."

"Shut up!" Alyssa yelled from behind the screen. "I told you, it's not like that!"

"Of course not." Miki snorted. "You've been in love with him since you met." She turned to Izzy to explain. "He transferred while she was in England with you. She ran into him in the halls her first day back. It was love at first sight."

"It was not!" Alyssa fumed. "This is why I hate being in the same class as you every year!"

"Just be quiet and get changed." Miki said. "It's Izzy's turn now. What was that Alyssa said about you and Atem-senpai...?"

By the time they escaped their grilling, they were almost late to meet the other two and had to dash down to the gate. This was an infinite relief to Marik, who had been attempting to make awkward conversation with Atem:

"I'm glad the weather held."

"..."

"I mean, it'll get cold later but at least it shouldn't rain."

"..."

"...Did you do the homework for maths class yet? I thought it was pretty tough-"

"No."

And other such awkward niceties. Eventually, the girls came running up. They couldn't help but stare. They were just in their normal shirts and jeans, but to such events a lot of people wore traditional dress, including, it seemed, Izzy and Alyssa, the former glorious in red and gold, the other more subdued in deep yellows, browns and greens, like the fallen leaves. Izzy had felt a lot of eyes on her as they crossed the complex, which had bemused her and amused Alyssa as she had grown more and more self-conscious. To her immense relief, however, Marik was looking at Alyssa. Or rather, at anywhere but Alyssa now he had seen her. Izzy felt satisfied for all of a minute until she realised that Atem's eyes were fixed on her. She stared back, determined not to drop his gaze.

"Hey." Alyssa said, eventually. "If you two are done getting lost in each others eyes, can we get this show on the road?"

So they did.

* * *

Izzy had always had the impression that Japanese temples were quiet, reflective places and that even the festivals would be about beauty, peace and contemplation.

In fact, the whole thing felt like a carnival. Stalls and games lined the pathways and were spread across the grounds, obscuring the carefully maintained gardens. Strings of fairy lights and paper lanterns hung between them, punctuated here and there by braziers to ward off some of the chill of an October night. Snatches of conversation and laughter passed by on the breeze, along with the smells of the different foods. For a moment, they stood near the entrance and looked around at everything that was happening.

"Neon heart, day glow eyes, city lit by fireflies." Alyssa sang suddenly, just to break the silence that had fallen over the group.

"Um... what?" Izzy asked.

"Oh, you, look, so, beeeeeautiful toni-ight, in the cityyyyyyyyy of blinding lighttttttt..." Alyssa sang exaggeratedly. And loudly. Thankfully, she got distracted then by a food stall. "Oh! I want takoyaki!" With that, she ran off. Apparently hungry to, Atem followed, leaving Izzy and Marik to fight their own way through the swelling crowd. Not feeling ready for the crush just yet, Izzy looked to the sky instead, watching the stars. The sky was clear and even with all the light, the stars seemed bright. She exhaled loudly. This was nice.

"You don't want takoyaki?" Marik asked her.

"Fried octopus doesn't really seem worth twenty-three elbows to the face." Izzy replied. "Don't you?"

"I'm not hungry." Marik answered, watching the people go by. From the way he fidgeted, Izzy knew he was trying to summon his courage and decided to help out.

"Something on your mind?"

"No, no." He denied.

"Thinking about confessing to Alyssa?" She teased.

"No!" He said, hotly. "I don't know where you got such an impression, but she and I..."

"Should be dating already." Izzy sighed irritably. "Are you really trying to tell me you have no feelings for her at all? I think you're lying."

"I don't see why you're trying to play matchmaker." Marik said, an edge of annoyance in his voice to cover his embarrassment.

"Because you like her and she likes you and you're both stupid." Izzy said, matter-of-factly.

"I don't think she likes me that way. I think you're mistaken." Marik said, firmly. "I've seen how Alyssa-chan behaves around you and her other friends. She runs round and jumps about and is so happy. She's never like that with me. She's always so quiet and uncomfortable..."

Izzy stared at him for a moment, amazed that such stupidity could be found on this earth. She opened her mouth to explain, but unfortunately Alyssa returned and stuffed a takoyaki piece into her mouth.

"Tastes good, doesn't it?" She laughed as Izzy chewed furiously and tried to glare at the same time. "Oh... here, you should try one too, Marik-senpai." She held the bag out as Atem caught up. He wasn't eating anything. Maybe he didn't like eating in front of other people. Izzy wondered where this extreme shyness came from. There was something so guarded about him. Something must have hurt in the past.

"Is there a game you'd like to try, Atem-senpai?" She asked, trying to involve him.

"Not really." He muttered, but she saw him glancing towards a stall just off to the left.

"How about that one, then?" She asked, pointing at it. "...Kingyo-sukui?"

"Goldfish scooping." Alyssa translated the unfamiliar words quickly, before switching back to Japanese. "I'm not very good at it, though."

"How do you play?" Izzy asked.

"Well, the aim is to scoop as many goldfish out of the pool and into the bowl as possible." Marik explained as they made their way through the crowd. "Only it's made harder because the scoop is made of paper. Basically, you have to see how many you can catch before it completely disintegrates."

"Which for me is about two seconds." Alyssa said, gloomily.

"I'm not very good at it either." Marik confessed. Atem said nothing, just examining the notice on the side of the stall. Alyssa went to join him.

"It looks like if you catch twenty-five you get a goldfish to keep." She said. "That would be so cool."

"You should win her one." Izzy whispered teasingly to Marik. "It would be romantic."

He blushed violently and took a determined step back. "I'm going to stop talking to you now." He said, and she laughed.

Alyssa had already paid for her turn, and, as promised, she wasn't very good at it. She thrashed madly, chasing the fish around their small pool, but by the time she was finished there were only two in the bowl. She just shrugged and said that was a good day for her, and handed over to Marik, who did little better with ten.

"Between you, you have half a fish." Izzy pointed out cheerily, to which Alyssa told her to stop behaving so smugly and try for herself. Determined to prove it couldn't be too hard, Izzy paid and took up the scoop, which the man told her was called a poi. She had realised the strategy of chasing the fish just disturbed them and soaked the paper, weakening it, so she chose a different tactic of being gentle and sneaking up on them. When she was done, the bowl seemed to be full.

"Hey, maybe you won one!" Alyssa said, admiringly. Izzy just smiled. The truth was, she had always been the master of games like this. She was sure, with a little practise, she could probably have caught all the fish. Still, for a first time, she was quite happy with the result. On counting, she found she had only caught twenty-three, which was somewhat disappointing, but she didn't have anywhere to put one anyway.

Atem took his turn last and caught twenty-seven seemingly without any difficulty at all. She supposed it was because he was so still. He picked out a fish with some splatterings of red amongst it's orange and the stall owner handed it over in a bag of water he assured them would keep the fish alive for the rest of the night.

"What are you going to call it?" Izzy asked, hoping to engage him in conversation.

"You can take it." Atem answered, handing it over. "I'm not really interested in keeping it."

Izzy accepted without thinking. She was preoccupied with Atem's own preoccupied look and the hint of sadness in his eyes, some unspoken extra sentence, like he thought it would only die around him. She wanted to ask, but couldn't find the words. It didn't seem right to pry anyway.

Alyssa and Marik had not noticed anything, already discussing where to go next. They eventually just decided to wander around the stalls and do things as they came. They had good fun on the various carnival games- despite the fact the rank order was always the same as it had been for Kingyo-sukui, Atem seemingly incapable of losing and Izzy determined to beat him- and eating the food. Finally, they came to a large pond, surrounded by fortunes of various kinds. Izzy spied one in particular, and smirked as she had another good idea.

She headed over to the stall, where it seemed that all the fortunes were written on pieces of paper, mixed together in a box, and picked out at random for each person. She had a little chat to the woman running it, who seemed disapproving at first, but eventually smiled and handed over a slip of paper. Izzy was just setting pen to paper when Atem spoke seemingly from nowhere behind her.

"I don't think fortune telling is self-service." He said.

"Ahh, don't do that!" Izzy jumped, almost hitting the goldfish bag that she had set down on the table. "Anyway, it's not for me, it's for Alyssa."

"Sabotage?" Atem raised an eyebrow.

"Just giving her a little help." Izzy smiled conspiratorially at the woman before handing the slip over and calling Alyssa.

"You should get yours told too."

"I don't really believe in this stuff."

"Come on, it's just some fun." Izzy said. "Besides, it might come true."

"Fine..." Alyssa sighed, and gave some money to the woman, who picked a fortune 'at random'.

"Tonight you will be lucky in love." The woman read, perfectly straight faced. "Find your courage and set the voice of your heart free."

"W-what is that supposed to mean?" Alyssa stammered.

"Well, it means tonight might be a good time to confess any romantic feelings." The stall owner explained, lowering her hand. Unfortunately, this allowed Alyssa to see the slip of paper.

"Izzy." She growled. "Why is that fortune written in your hand writing?"

Izzy decided to answer that question in the form of running, and Alyssa tore off after her. Atem and Marik looked on in confusion, although Marik had some slight idea. He felt his face heating up slightly as he wondered if Alyssa _had _said something to her friend... girls talked about that sort of thing, didn't they?

Meanwhile, the stallholder was watching Atem warily. "How about we pick one for you two?" She said, eventually.

"No, that's alright, thank you." Marik said, shaking his head. "We're just waiting for our friends to... um, come back." Just then he heard a muffled 'ouch' from somewhere on the other side of the pond. It sounded like Alyssa had finally caught up with Izzy. Or, more likely, had fallen over in the pursuit. Izzy was the faster of the pair and not stupid enough to stop.

Meanwhile, the fortune teller had already shaken the box and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Beware of green or brown eyed monsters." She said, perfectly straight faced.

"Um... thank you?" Marik said, confused. The fortune teller just shrugged and shook her box again.

"And you." She said to Atem, pulling out a piece of paper. She turned it over. Both sides were blank. She didn't seem unduly surprised. "You... may still choose. Your back can be turned to the light or to the dark."

"Who would turn their backs to the light?" Atem snapped. "That means nothing."

The fortune teller smiled, and turned to her next customer.

* * *

By the time Alyssa caught up with Izzy- or rather, Izzy decided her friend's rage must have abated by now and stopped- they had travelled around the edge of the pool and into a small spinney of trees that ran along the temple site's border. There were no more stalls here, as the trees grew so close together, but there were still strings of lights in the branches and a path just about wide enough for two.

"You." Alyssa growled. "Is it your mission to embarrass me?"

"No." Izzy defended. "I just want to know there will be someone to look after you when I go back home. And to embarrass you."

"You-" Alyssa started again, but then, looking at something behind Izzy, stopped abruptly. Izzy saw her stiffen and turned, seeing Bakura sauntering down the path towards them. She scowled, having not forgotten the argument of the day before. He ignored her again, however, and went straight for Alyssa.

"Well, look at you, all dressed up." He sneered. "What a pity Marik still won't ever notice you."

"Go away." Alyssa muttered, looking at the floor.

"Go away." Izzy echoed, far more sternly.

"No." Bakura replied, suddenly shoving Alyssa back and pinning her against a tree. "I want to have a talk with you."

Alyssa struggled, but he held on.

"Let go!" Izzy yelled.

"No." Bakura smirked. "Isn't it about time, Alyssa, that you felt some pain in return? Some fear?"

"You..." Alyssa started, angry. Even so, she couldn't shake him off. Izzy booted him hard in his shin, but he didn't seem to care.

"Isn't this fun?" He smiled, laughter hanging on his words. "I haven't been able to play with you for some time, Alyssa. Maybe I don't want to hurt you. Maybe I just like seeing the fear in your eyes. Or maybe I will..."

"Let go of her!" The voice was so furious that for a moment Izzy didn't recognise it as Marik's as he and Atem ran over. Atem took a much less subtle approach, grabbing Bakura by the collar and hauling him off. Bakura wrenched out of his grip, and stumbled back into Izzy, who fell into a tree herself, dropping the goldfish bag as she did so.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Marik yelled. "Did you come here just to cause more trouble?! Let it go!"

"Ha. Maybe I enjoy it." Bakura snarled, eyes narrowed. "What are you going to do to stop me?"

"I don't recommend you find out." Atem said icily.

"Oh, I'm so scared." Bakura said, picking up the goldfish. "Did you give this to her earlier, Atem?" With that, he ripped the bag open. Water spilt over the floor. The goldfish flapped uselessly on the ground. No-one moved, but the tension was at it's peak.

"Oh, poor thing." Bakura said, with mock sympathy. "Let's put it out of it's misery."

He stamped down hard.

"You-" Atem started forward, but as he did so, all the lights went out. This was not lights going out as when a switch is flipped, nor as in a power failure. The lights exploded, one after another, shards of glass falling like snow as the shadows of the night and of the trees engulfed them.

For another moment, nobody moved from where they had instinctively covered their heads. Atem straightened first and slowly looked around them. Apart from a far-off glow from the other side of the festival, all was dark. Without a word, he turned and bolted. Marik watched after him.

"Maybe he's afraid of the dark...?" He wondered aloud. "Hey, wait-!" he reached out, but Bakura had already passed him and disappeared. He turned to Alyssa. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Alyssa said quietly, turned around, and hurried away. Marik went to go after her, but Izzy put out a hand to stop him.

"Leave this to me." She said. It was time to get some answers.

She found Alyssa just back within the temple grounds, sitting on a bench overlooking the pool, staring not at the pool but at the sky. Izzy sat down next to her.

"So, ready to tell me why Bakura has it in for you?" She asked.

"Are you going to keep nagging me if I say no?" Alyssa replied.

"Pretty much."

"Fine." Alyssa sighed, dully. "I'll tell you."

* * *

Atem ran. Even when he got to the light, he carried on running. He turned his back to the light and ran. How could he have been so stupid as to be around people? If they had been any closer to those lights when they exploded...

He ran, because he could do nothing else.

* * *

**_A/N: (Waffles4eva) This is probably the longest episode in the whole thing, or at least of the ones I've written so far. It was one of my favourites too. As the length/timing of Izzy's transfer is only September-March, I didn't have any room for a summer/beach episode and I knew I definately had to have a festival one. My favourite line in this was the one about Gryffindor, but I don't think anyone else found it funny. Sad times. :(_**

**A/N: (scooby2408) *sigh* I don't suppose that this could be considered a 'hight school drama' if there wasn't at least one person trying to play matchmaker, and now they're both at it... oh boy! Oh, and if anybody can spot the reference in this episode to my favourite game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, they can have a virtual cookie from me. Thanks for reading and I'll leave you with the preview for next time:  
**

**"One year ago...**"

"Wait, are you actually doing it for once?!"

**"If you stop inturrupting me, yeah. One year ago-"**

"Hmm. Apparently you're not in this one, Izzy."

"I'm not?!"

"But aren't you the main character?"

**"If you two actually READ the scripts... This one is MY episode. So, one year ago-"**

"Wait, how come you do proper previews for your episodes and not mine?!"

**"Because I'm not interested in yours."**

_"... Maybe we should stop them hitting each other."_

"If you want to get yourself involved in that, be my guest."

_"Maybe we should do the preview, then."_

"Alyssa is using the script as a weapon."

_"We could make it up... Um..."_

"... Next time on Over the Rainbow... Over the Rainbow Episode Four: Thief- The Problem of Bakura."


	4. Thief

**A/N: Ah ha! As with all animes we have the obligatory flashback episode in which we might just find out what ties the characters together.**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

_

* * *

  
_

Episode Four: Thief- The Problem of Bakura!

**~One Year Earlier~**

_"I guess I can't tell you everything because I don't know it all. I don't know why he did it. I like to think he had a reason, but..."_

The violins gave out a quiet melody, just the right level to be enjoyed without overriding the subdued conversations going on it the room. Champagne glasses inturrupted the rhythm of the restaurant here and there, chiming against one another as someone had a toast. It was mostly older people, people so old they had more money than they knew what to do with, middle aged business men, aristocrats, couples celebrating silver, gold, diamond wedding anniversaries. There were younger people too, mostly up-and-coming entrepreneurial youngsters or the children of aristocrats, spending daddy's money. Only the two young people didn't seem to fit the mould of the average customer of the establishment. They were young, younger than the usual lot, higher schoolers perhaps, middle schoolers maybe. The boy, with his long and unkempt hair, in an ill-fitting suit, looked slightly uncomfortable; but not so much as the girl with him, who was biting her lip anxiously, even as they waited for their food to arrive.

"Are you sure about this?" She blurted, finally. "It's a lot of money. We can cancel the order..."

"We are not cancelling the order!" He snapped in response. "I told you, I got the money, okay? So just enjoy it."

"But I'm worried... Why won't you let me at least pay half?"

"Because I want to give you something." He growled. "You could have any guy, someone who could give you this sort of thing any time they wanted. I'm sick of taking you to places so much more common then you're used to. Why should I have to stay in the pits?! So just eat it and let me pay! I have the money!"

Despite his rage, the girl smiled. "You're so cute." She muttered, kissing him briefly. This was what he normally did to her. The truth was, he loved her accent. "But I've told you before. If I wanted a rich guy, I'd go out with a rich guy. I just want you."

"I want to give you everything." He grumbled in response, still not understanding.

She sighed and sat back, but decided to just enjoy the evening as much as possible. The fact she was wealthier than him was always a sensitive subject to Bakura, who had nothing. He had been thrown out by his parents as soon as he'd finished middle school, and the high school dorms were the only place he had to call home. He was a second year now, what he would do when he finished the third she didn't know. She wished he would save the money rather then spending it on her. He probably had been saving for a long time for the sake of this one evening. She wished he hadn't, or would accept her offers of money, but he always got offended and said he had enough to get by. Whatever the reason, he had worked hard for this. The least she could do was enjoy it.

_"I was in my first year of high school at the time. I'd been on the student council for two terms then, Marik-senpai had showed me the ropes the first few weeks and this term I'd handled the first year's finances pretty much on my own. I'd been so careful..."_

"Are you finished?" Marik enquired, politely, giving a slight smile to show there was no rush. Alyssa looked up and gave a brief smile, looking down at the books again before she could get too embarrassed.

"Almost." She replied. "Just finishing checking the total." Beside her, a box of money lay, sorted and counted. All she needed to do was add up each month's figures and make sure everything was accounted for. She had meticulously written down every last yen that had come in or out, and checked her calculations over and over. There should be no margin for error.

"Thank you." Marik smiled. "It's been a lot easier than last year, with your help. I was thinking I might even be able to go back to the climbing club."

"Oh, um... you're welcome." She smiled. "It's what I'm here f... eh?"

"What's the matter?" Marik asked.

"Nothing." Alyssa said, hastily. She wished her senpai hadn't been here to see this. "I, um, seem to have miscalculated by... a lot... guess I counted the money wrong."

With that, she unceremoniously upturned the box and began again. Marik hovering awkwardly and periodically asking if he could help until it made her lose count.

"No." She frowned when she was finished, sounding worried now. "Maybe my sums are wrong." Ignoring the careful addition written in front of her, Alyssa dug in her bag for her calculator. Obviously her maths wasn't as good as she thought.

"It doesn't matter if there's a little discrepancy." Marik said kindly, seeing that she was now getting flustered. "That's unavoidable. How much are you short by?"

"...Thirty thousand yen." She answered quietly.

"Thirty thousand! How did you-?!" He repeated, aghast. Then he saw her worried face. She was unable to meet his eye and looked at the floor instead. Marik bit down on his lip to stop the question. What if she started crying?! Alyssa didn't seem the crying kind, but then she was always so uncomfortable around him, that was why he always tried to be nice. If she started crying, he didn't know what he'd do. "...Well, perhaps it's your sums that are wrong. Shall we check them?"

So they checked them. They counted the money again first, then the addition of the monthly sums. Then they checked the weekly sums to get the month's totals. Then they checked the sums for every single week. Then they dug out the receipts and invoices, to check the figures that had been recorded in the book. The numbers in the book were fine, except for the small matter of it being short.

"I don't understand!" Alyssa cried. "I don't see how... it's such a lot of money!"

"Nor me." Marik agreed, sounding serious. "The money was locked away everyday... the only people with access to it should be you and I."

"You don't think I stole it?!" Alyssa exclaimed, somewhere between alarm and annoyance.

"No, no." Marik reassured her. "Perhaps you just... lost it... but I know you wouldn't steal it. You're one of the most honest people I know, Trent-chan."

For a second or two, Alyssa was happy at the compliment. Then she realised he also thought her capable of losing ¥30000 and the happiness ebbed slightly. That and the fact he still hadn't started calling her by her first name.

"What do we do?" She asked, reluctantly pulling her thoughts back to the task at hand.  
"Well..." Marik frowned, not quite sure himself. "I suppose we'll have to tell the student president."

"Oh." Alyssa said, for the president had already gone home for the night. "Tomorrow?"

"I think that would be best."

"...Maybe I should take the money home." Alyssa said, despondently. "Just in case someone stole it before- they can obviously get into the safe."

"It's alright." Marik answered, picking it up. "It's a little heavy. I'll take it."

They said their goodbyes, him assuring her it would all be fine, her saying little because she couldn't help but wonder.

Was it that the box was heavy or just that he didn't trust her?

_"I think I told you about it. Do you remember? On messenger. You had to run off all of a sudden."_

**Alyssa **次の時間、英雄は悪人に日付を記入する**:**

I did something stupid today

**Izzy 'The Deeper the Sorrow the More our Hearts Sing' :**

Don't you always lol?

**Alyssa **次の時間、英雄は悪人に日付を記入する**: **

Seriously

**Alyssa **次の時間、英雄は悪人に日付を記入する**:**

I've somehow lost ¥30000

**Izzy 'The Deeper the Sorrow the More our Hearts Sing':**

Aww :(

**Izzy 'The Deeper the Sorrow the More our Hearts Sing':**

But that's not that much, is it? What's the exchange?

**Izzy 'The Deeper the Sorrow the More our Hearts Sing':**

gotta go

**Izzy 'The Deeper the Sorrow the More our Hearts Sing':**

smell burning think it's comp

_"You didn't manage to get back online for a month after that, and by then, the damage was done. I guess it was good in a way, because I didn't have to explain the student council or how I was worried Marik-senpai didn't trust me. But... it was a little lonely."_

"You're kidding, thirty thousand?!" The President groaned and fell back into his chair. "This is exactly why I didn't want a first year on the council!"

"Didn't you say you'd been on it three years?" Alyssa muttered. "That would mean you joined as a first year too, senpai..."

"Yes, I was treasurer, and I didn't 'lose' thirty thousand yen!"

"Please don't shout, senpai!" Marik inturrupted. "I supervised Trent-chan myself, and we checked all the figures together. The totals are all fine. The money can only have been lost or stolen."

"By who?" The President frowned. "The only one with access is you two, and I trust you." He turned to Alyssa. "Are you sure you didn't just drop it somewhere?"

"Of course not!" She snapped. "It hasn't left the room!"

"Unfortunately, it obviously has." The president sighed. "...Look, if you can replace the money, we'll say no more about it."

"But..." Alyssa began, then realised there really wasn't any more reasonable solution. She had been responsible for the money, after all. "...thank you."

"It's alright." The President sighed. "This time, I'm trusting that you didn't do it on purpose. Just be more careful from now on!"

"Yes, senpai." Alyssa answered. She left as quickly as she could, mind furiously calculating. She had a monthly budget that mostly went on her room and meal tickets for the food halls. She saved as much as she could each month, but...

She went to the little cash point that served the dormitories and checked her balance. Not quite enough. But she had some money in her purse upstairs, and if Seshi in the room next door would float her some...

The next day, she had begged and borrowed her way up to the full ¥30000, though she had yet to work out how she would pay back the ¥5000 she had borrowed from various people. Plus, all her savings were now gone. She would have to get a part-time job. As long as the school, which banned such procedures as they felt studies would suffer, did not find out it. Although, if the head had caught wind of this she might have been excluded anyway, so perhaps it wasn't so bad...

"Trent-chan." Marik's soft voice came from somewhere behind her, coming to meet her outside the Council room. "I don't usually see you here before school. I wasn't going to look for you here, but I just had this feeling..." He smiled slightly.

"Ah, yeah." She stared at her feet, cursing herself for not being able to meet his eye. She wondered if he thought she had taken it. "I managed to get enough money together, so I thought I'd come pay it in."

"You didn't have to do that." He said, eyes troubled. "The President asked me to. I already have the money."

"He asked me to!" Alyssa rebuked, horrified. "I was the one who lost it! You don't owe anything!"

"It's alright." He reassured her. "My parents run a shop. I just have to do some extra hours to make up the loss."

"You're not allowed a part-time job..."

"It's not." He grimaced. "They don't pay me."

At his expression, Alyssa couldn't help but laugh and a moment later, he joined in.

"That's better." He said. "I really thought you were going to cry yesterday. You've got to keep laughing if nothing else."

"Right." Alyssa nodded. "But still, I can't let you pay back the money! It was my responsibility and so I have to do this myself!"

"And supervising you is technically my responsibility." He said. "If you lost it or mixed it in elsewhere or whatever happened, I should have been paying attention."

"You shouldn't have to watch me all the time! I-"

"How about this?" He cut her off, exasperated. "We'll both pay half."

"No."

"It's that or I pay all of it."

"...Fine."

_"That day, when Marik-senpai and I paid back half the money each, it was the first day Atem-senpai transferred to our school. He was a loner even then, but everyone just assumed he was shy. They tried to approach him, but he brushed them off. Marik-senpai himself didn't pay him much heed, with everything else that was going on. The President gave us some bad news at break. We didn't know Atem-senpai was just outside..."_

"I was looking over our rules." The student body president began, looking grave. "I thought I might have a duty to report this to the headmaster and the governors, and it seems I was correct."

"But we paid it back already." Alyssa said nervously. "So it's just a protocol, right?"

"They'll probably want an investigation." He answered. "The fact is, one of you will be blamed for this."

"It was an accident!" The two treasurers protested in unison.

"I'm aware of that." He said. "But the truth is, you're both suspects now."

"Both?" Alyssa said, eventually finding her voice. "But I... I mean, Marik-senpai didn't..."

"He's your supervisor." The president sighed. "He's responsible too. Look, I'm sorry to say this... you know if it was up to me... but I don't see how that much money could have been lost. I'm sad to say it, but one of you must be the culprit. When I find out which it is, I'm gonna be mad."

"Don't you trust us?" Marik asked, quietly, tone level.

"I can't." The president answered, regretfully. "Maybe this investigation will find it was an accident. I really hope so. But if we find out otherwise, there will be trouble."

The youth outside listened with vague indifference. He half-recognised the boy's voice as one of his classmates, but he didn't know either him or the girl. He didn't particularly care about their situation, but he pondered it out of boredom and curiosity. The girl had been in charge of the missing money, yes, but the guy- Marik, was it?- He had been supervising her. Surely she would have had less chance to steal it than him, if he was watching her.

But somehow, he didn't think that was the case. Neither of them had enough darkness in them to be a thief, he was almost certain. But what did he know? He called the darkness, he did not judge it. Even if he tried saying something, who would believe his talk of shadows? He had only ever hurt people, never helped them. Besides, it was really none of his business. Atem ignored the ajar door and moved on.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense. Work had resumed, but it was far from the relaxed atmosphere that usually prevailed. They were both suspects now. Which meant only one thing. One of them had to be proved guilty if the other was to be proved innocent.

Marik watched Alyssa working in silence, checking each and every figure five or six times, making absolutely sure. She certainly didn't look like the thief of thirty thousand yen. But then, he doubted they had little signs advertising it. She had been an unusual applicant to be a treasurer, too, maths was not her best subject and she admitted to not wanting to be anything close to an accountant in the future. That was part of the reason she had been chosen. She had seemed to so desperately want the job, and for it's own sake, not just to stick on her CV. Now he wondered if it had been about the access to the money. He didn't doubt her honesty, but perhaps he ought too. After all, criminals only got away with it because people trusted them, and she was the only other one with access to the money apart from himself. He knew he hadn't taken it. He watched her working, and was sure she couldn't be acting the stress on her face. Besides, she was a rubbish actress, he had seen her class play. She wasn't smart enough to think of acting poorly so he would think she wasn't acting now. No, he didn't think she would have taken the money.

Unless she was in some sort of trouble. He bit his lip slightly. He hoped not. He hoped, if she had needed the money, she would have come to him- no, someone for help. He didn't like the idea of her being threatened. He decided to keep a closer eye on her from then on. Just in case.

Little did he know, Alyssa would notice this extra attention and despair. He was always paying close attention to her, making excuses to follow her between classes, always nearby in breaks, watching her work at the council. She didn't notice his concern, and took his watchfulness to mean he blamed her and was making sure she did not strike again. He never said so outright, but he obviously couldn't trust her. She wished he did, but felt too ashamed to confront him, so just pretended to buy his excuses. She just hoped the investigation by the governors would realise she had lost the money by accident and hadn't taken it.

Of course, she wasn't sure _how _she had managed to lose the money. She knew her own clumsiness and so had been careful, almost to the point of paranoia, because she did _not _want something like this to happen. It was just typical that it would. But... maybe it had been beyond her control. After all, Marik had time when it would have been easy for him to take the money, when no-one else was around.

It hurt her to even think of it. She couldn't believe that. Not after so much had happened. Not when she felt...

The first time they had met, it had been her first day of high school. A lot of the older students were on hand to help the new first years find their schedules and classes. Most people already knew each other, from the same local middle schools. Alyssa had come from further out, and spent the last sixth months of middle school on a transfer in England. There was only one other person from her old school here. Marik had been in the same position when he first arrived, and it just so happened he was the one who spotted her looking lost in the corridor and helped her find her locker. Conversation had come easily then, before she had started to- she had never believed in love at first sight. It was just curiosity. Something inside her wanted to see more of this guy. Find out more. See as much of him as possible. She didn't have an agenda, she didn't want anything from him, just friendship.

Of course, the more she got to know him, the more shy she felt. But it didn't matter. She knew one thing and that was that Marik would not have taken the money. She had to believe that.

Everyone else certainly did. Between classes one day, Alyssa paused in the corridor to take a drink from a water fountain. Some girls in her class had been walking behind her, but now they stopped; to talk to the second year class coming the same way.

"Miamoto-senpai!" One of them said. Ah. So the school idol was passing by. "I read that book you recommended! _Children of the Elements, _you know_. _It was great!"

Alyssa frowned to herself as she listened to the conversation. She had read that book too and hadn't thought much of it. What was more, it was obvious the girls hadn't either- if they had even read it. On a normal day, she might have gone and joined the conversation. But the story of the missing ¥30000 had gotten around. Nothing had been proven, but everyone thought she had done it. Even more obvious then how she had been entirely ignored in class was the way that when they attempted the climbing wall, and she had been unable to reach the top, they had encouraged the others and laughed at her. That had hurt. So she did not join the conversation.

They were not content to leave her alone, though, Miamoto jostled her as he passed by, causing her to pitch forward and hit her face on the fountain. The water entered her mouth and nose, and she spluttered as she stood up.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Miamoto exclaimed.

"Don't apologise to her." One of the girls sniffed. "She deserves it."

"This is the one who took the money." The second explained.

"Really?" He frowned at her. "You know, you abused your classmates' trust. That money was meant for everyone to have fun together, and you've ruined that for all of them!"

"I didn't take the money!" Alyssa protested. "And I paid it back anyway!"

"You know," One of the girls scowled. "If you owned up and apologised, maybe no-one would care so much."

"Yeah." The second agreed. "Don't you feel bad at all? Everyone knows you took it, Haruko-chan. Just admit it!"

"Hey." A voice inturrupted from behind. "Don't talk to her like that. Nothing's been proved."

"Marik-senpai..." Alyssa wanted a hole to open in the ground and swallow her as Marik and more of the second years stopped to watch. She should have known Marik would appear. He had been keeping a close watch on her recently, after all. He didn't trust her at all. Yet, he was defending her. That gave her some small hope.

"Well, it's not like you would have taken it." Miamoto shrugged. "It must have been her. She's just a lying thief."

"I told you not to speak to her like that." Marik answered, teeth gritted. Alyssa watched with a mixture of embarrassment and interest. She had never seen Marik get angry. She wondered if he would now. "We don't know that she took it. It might have been an accident. You shouldn't just make blind accusations."

"He's right." Another voice, smooth, chipped in. Alyssa didn't know him by anything more than sight at the time, but she would come to recognise Bakura in time, as he tormented her. That day, however, he almost seemed to be on her side. "You shouldn't accuse poor little Haruko-chan. After all, you're a suspect too, aren't you, Marik?"

"...Right." Marik said, not quite trusting his classmate and disliking the slightly sinister time. "So there's no need to accuse anyone."

"Then again," Bakura shrugged. "You always seemed like a pretty decent guy. I don't think you'd take it. Besides, she looks pretty suspicious to me."

"Lay off." Marik answered, before Alyssa could say anything.

"Why not? I bet she's accusing you inside her head right now."

"Well..."

"I am not!" Alyssa exploded. "Marik-senpai wouldn't do that!"

"Trent-chan, it's okay, you don't need to-"

"No! I know you didn't take it, so you don't have to listen to him!"

"Hmm..." Bakura pondered. "Now what could this display of faith mean? It could be that you did take the money and don't want to see him get in trouble for it. But I think maybe your protest is to do more with your... feelings."

"W-what?!" Alyssa snapped, stammering. "It's not... I didn't..."

Bakura laughed. "You can't hide it! I know you have all sorts of things buried in your heart!"

Marik wasn't quite sure what was happening, but he could see Alyssa's expression. "Leave her alone." He said. "Why don't you just leave, Bakura?"

For once, he did so, with a smug smile. Alyssa left hastily too, claiming to be late for class. The other bystanders, seeing everything was over, soon dissipated too. Atem, who had been standing unnoticed at the edge of the group, kept his eyes fixed on Bakura's distinctive white hair. He didn't like that guy. There was something suspicious about him. And, Atem could see, this Bakura was surrounded by the shadows, half-consumed by darkness. For once, it was nothing to do with him, Bakura had got into this situation on his own. And that made him very suspicious.

Atem resolved then to keep an eye on that particular classmate. There was just something about him that Atem didn't like.

_"I should've guessed then, but I didn't. I was more worried by what Bakura had said. I was worried that it had been my carelessness, and that Marik was going to suffer for it. I decided that evening I would go and resign from the student council the next morning, and if necessary, say it was me. I couldn't stand the idea of him getting into trouble. By then, though, the thief was ready to strike again, knowing the suspicion against us would stop it going anywhere near him. There was just one thing he didn't count on. Atem-senpai."_

Bakura was getting cocky. Looking back, he knew it. Pity he didn't at the time.

He had been planning another hit on the school's finance room the previous night, but hadn't managed it. There had been some sort of birthday party going on in another room within the dormitories, and they had look-outs and so on. There had been too many people around to risk heading outside, towards the school, when any of them could be looking out of the window.

However, many of those same people would be too hung-over to be trying to get to school early the next morning; so he decided to simply delay the job by a few hours. This had the added advantage that by then the caretaker would have been around and unlocked all the rooms, including the Student Council office. It would be relatively easy for him to sneak into the room, get the safe and the treasury box open, and slip out again.

At least, that had been the plan. He hadn't imagined anyone else would be at school so early, nor that they suspected him.

Atem had always had trouble sleeping, and it had only gotten worse since he had come to this new place, far from home. Deliberately far from home, but that didn't make it any easier. He had yet to get used to sleeping in a new place, so he was always up early, and feeling too confined in his room, usually went to school. The early morning feel, and the solitude of the endless empty classrooms suited him. He was there that day, and he saw Bakura making a beeline for the Student Council Office.

It didn't take much to put two and two together. He had been right about the darkness.

Atem waited a few moments, and headed over to the Student Council room, to literally find Bakura with one hand in the money box and the other stuffing some into his pockets. Bakura froze as he entered, and slowly withdrew his hand.

The two stood and looked at each other in silence, Bakura glancing aside now and then to gauge the distance to the door and if it was worth running. It wasn't. Atem knew who he was. On the other hand, Bakura hardly knew this guy. No-one did. So maybe there was hope.

"How much?"

Atem's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"How much do you want to keep quiet?"

"Sorry. No deal." Atem answered, flatly. He turned to leave. "Wait here. If you move..."

"You'll what?!" Bakura moved like a flash of white lightning, reaching him before he could turn around. This was exactly why they said you should never turn your back on a foe. Atem reacted, but it was too late, Bakura's arm was around his neck, presumably trying to deprive him of air until he blacked out. Or just to hurt him. He was rammed into the wall next to the door, face pressed to the plaster. This didn't make him panic, just angry. He elbowed his captor in the stomach, kicked and struggled, but he was winded and Bakura had caught him before he had taken a breath. His vision was beginning to blur.

And then Alyssa hit him with the door as she walked in. Bakura pitched to the left, off balance for less than a second, but the slight loosening of his grip was all Atem needed to draw in a deep and much needed breath and then rip Bakura's arm away, elbowing him hard in the stomach. Bakura doubled over, and Atem stood, satisfied.

"...Should I come back later?" Alyssa blinked in confusion, before noticing the open safe and the money that had been dislodged from Bakura's pockets in the tussle. "You!" She gasped.

"Me." He agreed, suddenly lunging forward and gripping her hard under the chin and the jaw. "What are you going to do about it?"

She spat in his face, but he only laughed and shook her hard. She managed to use this to her advantage, however, using the momentum to get free. In that moment everything happened at once.

Atem got hold of Bakura's arms, twisting them behind the thief and restraining him without much apparent effort. Alyssa, slightly off balance from jerking free, stumbled slightly against something in the doorway. Only it wasn't the door because it held on even after it steadied her and did not let go.

"What's going on?" Marik asked. He had seen Bakura holding Alyssa by the chin, and could see the bruises starting to form on her cheek. He let go a little, but kept a loose grip around her shoulders, wary of any other trouble in case he needed to get her out of the way.

She was blushing so badly at that point she thought she might spontaneously combust. Luckily, he was too focused on the events in front of them to notice.

"He caught the thief." Alyssa said, smiling slightly even as her heart pounded embarrassingly. "It wasn't either of us and now we have proof."

"Thank you, Atem-kun." Marik smiled too, letting go of Alyssa and taking a step forward. "But Bakura-kun, how could you? Not only did you take the money, you tried to get us blamed? That's low."

Bakura said nothing, just glared. The two boys promptly escorted him to the head teacher's office, leaving Alyssa to clean up in the room and check the money- although not before she had emptied Bakura's pockets. It seemed all would end well.

"_Things worked remarkably straight-forwardly after that. They'd had discipline issues with Bakura before, so I think they were just glad it wasn't one of their supposed model students on the council. He was suspended for a week, with the understanding that any further pushing of the boundaries would lead to him being __permanently__ excluded. He had to pay back the money too. As for Marik-senpai and I, I'm sure it strengthened our friendship. Unfortunately, we couldn't make that extend to Atem-senpai."_

"Trent-chan." Marik said in surprise, seeing the girl at his classroom door. "Hello. Did you need something?"

"I was actually looking for Atem-senpai." She replied. "Is he here? I wanted to thank him for yesterday."

"Oh, you're right." He beckoned her in, and the two of them made their way over to where Atem's desk was, sat in the back corner. He glanced up at them warily.

"Atem-kun." Marik greeted. "Trent-chan and I just wanted to thank you for yesterday. One of us would have surely gotten the blame if you hadn't helped."

"Yeah, thanks a lot." Alyssa agreed. "I want to thank you properly, so if you want to go somewhere or do something, or just have lunch here, it's on me!"

"On us." Marik chipped in. "We owe you, after all."

"No." Atem answered.

"Huh?"

"No, I don't want anything." He said, voice clipped.

"It's fine, we want to." Alyssa smiled.

"I don't want anything!" He snapped. "I just want to be left in peace..."

"...I was only trying to be friendly."

Atem sighed and looked away. "You would be better off not making friends with me. Please go."

"I'm sure that's not true." Alyssa started.

"It is." Atem inturrupted. "Go away."

Not sure what else to do, she withdrew reluctantly, Marik walking with her as his desk was in the same direction as the door. As he sat down, she turned and paused.

"You know..." She said, a little shyly. "You really could start calling me Alyssa."

"Oh!" He answered, startled. "Oh, yes, thank you, Alyssa-chan."

At least, that's what he tried to say. He stumbled slightly on the unfamiliar sounds of her name and messed them up. She tried to hide her disappointment.

"Of course," she said, hastily. "Haruko is fine too. That's what most people call me!"

"Oh... yes."

He waited until she said her goodbyes and then let his head fall to the desk and connect with a heavy thump. He couldn't believe he had mispronounced her name. She had finally let him switch to her given name, and he had messed it up. He had wanted to in the past, but had been too scared to, worried it would seem presumptuous. She had actually told him to. She wanted him to. And he had ended up saying some sort of phonological mess, closer to Eliza than her name.

He resolved there and then he would never call her Haruko. He would learn to say Alyssa if it killed him.

_ "Anyway, I guess Bakura couldn't take it. When he got back to school, it was like he was only there to make life difficult for the three of us. He can't stand that we won. I think... it was all just a game to him, and he lost."_

"Why were you suspended?"

"Leave me alone."

"Bakura..."

"...They said I stole from the council." He looked at the floor, not at his girlfriend, who was entirely focused on him. Her eyes filled with worry and her brown hair fell forward as she leant towards him; she had not tied the band tightly enough.

"And did you?" She asked, after a long pause, hating that she even had to.

"No."

"Don't lie to me!" She flared up. "Tell me the truth."

"No!"

"...It's how you paid for the fancy restaurant, isn't it?! I told you I didn't need stuff like that!"

"What was I supposed to do?!" He said, furious. "I want to be a good boyfriend!"

"By stealing?! You are not a good boyfriend! You know what? You're not even my boyfriend any more." She stood up and headed for the door. "I'm going home."

"Hey..." He started.

"All the way home." She added. "I'm going back to the UK."

"What?! No! You can't!"

"I have too!" She said, nearly in tears. "You're like this because of me!"

She ran.

Bakura chased her at first, but it was clear she really didn't want to be caught. So he let her run, out of his life forever. He watched her until she disappeared, fists clenched.

And he swore revenge on those that had done this. If Atem had been watching, he would have seen Bakura swallowed completely by the darkness.

* * *

_**A/N: (Waffles4eva) Seems like however Atem and Bakura are incarnated, they are always going to be pitted against one another. In this case, Atem defeats Bakura's evil plans yet again. Although, are they evil? I always thought with Bakura that there was this idea that yes, he was evil, but he was out seeking revenge and it was his desire for revenge that had twisted him and corrupted him. (Look out for this sort of idea in later episodes! :P) Anyway, I tried to keep some of this idea, in that Bakura is still looking for revenge- although he deserved what he got- and he's been twisted by it and all the sucky stuff that happened with his girlfriend/family. Yeah. That's about the only similarity to the original so I figured I'd just point that out. XD**_

**A/N: (scooby2408) I guess somethings never change - he can't keep his hands away from the treasure/gold/money in any incarnation. Well, at least we know now what the secret the characters kept hinting at, and maybe the possible reason behind Bakura's motives. Somewhere in this episode is a hint for what happens next time in Over the Rainbow. Thanks for reading and I shall leave you with the preview for next time:**

"...Hey... Where is everyone? Alyssa?"

_"She's not coming."_

"Huh? What?"

_"She's not coming and I don't blame her."_

_"... Why not? Marik?"_

"He's gone."

"Ahhhhh, what am I supposed to have done?!

"Read the script?

"Don't tell me you're mad too..."

"... No."

"You are, aren't you? ...What do I do?

"..."

"... Atem? Please don't leave too... Over the Rainbow Episode Five: Shock- The Changes in Relationship."


	5. Shock

**A/N: Welcome back to Over the Rainbow - we're just seen the backstory to some of these characters, but according to Waffles4eva, it's the happiest that we're gonna see them for a while. **

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

* * *

Episode Five: Shock- The Changes in Relationship!

Izzy stood just inside the main entrance to the East dormitory block, the late November air outside carrying too much of a chill to wait outside. Her expression was a blank mask to make sure that nobody could tell what she was thinking. Indeed, no-one had been able to tell what she had been thinking for some time.

There was movement on the staircase behind her, and hearing the hesitation in the footsteps, Izzy turned. Alyssa was coming towards her.

"Good morning, Izzy." She said, carefully not looking at her. She slowed her pace, but made no move to stop. "I'll see you in class, okay?"

Still not turning around, Alyssa had one hand ready to open the doors before Izzy called out to stop her.

"Alyssa, wait! Can't we... can't we go together? Like we used to?"

Alyssa stopped, but still didn't look at her. "Would it be... just us?"

"Well... no..."

"I'm sorry." Alyssa said, finally looking guiltily back over her shoulder. "I just... wouldn't feel comfortable."

On that understatement, she turned and hurried away. Izzy looked after her, feeling greatly saddened. She couldn't help but wonder if their friendship would ever be restored. She watched out of the window as Alyssa drew her coat closer to her, and bumped into Atem on the forecourt as he emerged from North. The two headed off together, and Izzy wished she could run out and join them. After the festival, the four of them- Marik, Atem, Alyssa and herself- had seemed to be closer than ever. Atem had tried to distance himself, of course, but through a combination of Alyssa's emotional blackmail and Izzy's physical force, he had sat with them for lunch a few times. Once you got him going, Izzy had found, he could talk as well as anyone; and indeed they had enjoyed many a conversation. Until the trouble had started. She felt like their friendship was coming apart at the seams, but what was she supposed to do? She just couldn't give up on everything like that. Boyfriends should never come between girl friends, or so she had thought. In reality, though, things were never that simple.

Speaking of boyfriends, she almost thought hers had arrived when she saw the long hair approaching the door; but as he looked in, she realised it was Marik.

"Oh. Izzy-chan." He greeted, awkwardly. "...Has Alyssa-chan come this way yet?"

"Yeah, she just left."

"Right." He withdrew without a further word and with only a forced smile to say goodbye. Izzy sighed. Was she permanently going to be treated with such a cold shoulder just because of who she had decided to date?

"Why so miserable?" The person in question asked, in that tone which made it so hard to tell if he was sincere or not. "If your friends can't cope with it, they aren't really your friends at all, right?"

"You know full well that isn't true."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." He shrugged. "I just know you're mine now." He kissed her to emphasise the point, and when it was over and she began to head for the doors, he took her hand; so everyone else would know it too.

As if they didn't already. Izzy and Bakura had started dating about a month before hand, a week or two after the festival, and it had caused a stir across the school. It had just seemed to come from nowhere. The only boys she had ever really been seen with were Atem and Marik, not their classmate. Clearly something had been going on behind the scenes, because Izzy certainly didn't seem the sort just to date anyone who asked her. Some, who had been at middle school with Bakura, speculated on vague memories of seeing him with a brown-haired English girl in years past, which fuelled the flames of rumour. Apart from the widespread curiosity, the relationship had been met with mixed reactions. Some couldn't believe that anyone would want to be someone like Bakura, let alone a nice girl like Izzy. Others thought Izzy must not be as nice as she appeared, others that she would be good for Bakura.

But Izzy didn't care about what most of the school body thought. She just wished Alyssa could accept it, wished that her friend would understand why she had to do this. She had to be with Bakura, no matter what. She had just never anticipated that it would come between her and her best friend in a way like this. She couldn't quite get her head around it. She had thought their friendship was stronger than this, but now it seemed to be barely hanging on by a thread. She sighed, and he gripped her hand tighter.

Things weren't supposed to be like this. This wasn't the way she wanted things to be.

Alyssa had looked so hurt when she had found out. Izzy felt a slight twinge on the edges of her heart as she thought of it again. She had been dating Bakura for nearly a week before she had even been able to work up the courage to tell her. Alyssa had thought she was joking, at first. Then the laughter faded and was replaced with worry and disappointment.

"...Are you sure about this?" She had asked, worriedly. "Izzy, I don't think it's a good idea! I mean, you know what he's like!"

"..."

"...Do you really like him that much?"

"Yeah. I do."

"...Alright."

That word had not exactly been acceptance, however. Just an affirmation, an acknowledgement. Her friend trying to cover her disapproval and her hurt. From that moment, Izzy was sure, you could feel the wall, the distance, growing between them. It wasn't right. But...

This was for the best. Alyssa just didn't see it.

Besides, the upshot was, Alyssa had begun to attach herself to Atem- regardless of whether he wanted her to or not. Izzy had to put her own feelings aside and admit it was a good thing. After she went back to England, she wouldn't be here to nag Atem into hanging around with them. He needed friends, and if she had to leave, at least Alyssa would be able to take care of him- and vice versa.

They rounded a corner, and she saw Atem and Alyssa ahead of them; watched them head into the school building. It really was, she told herself, for the best.

* * *

Izzy didn't know that Atem had been watching them too, just turning his head slightly so he could see them out of the corner of his eye. Bakura's hand gripped hers tightly, but she didn't push him away. They were dating, after all.

Atem was not happy about it.

Alyssa chattered brightly and inanely next to him, probably aware he wasn't listening and probably not caring. He focused on the shadows, instead. It had not lessened around Bakura, but there was something peculiar about Izzy. Something he hadn't noticed at first, and could perhaps just be imagining, but he kept seeing it happen and was starting to wonder. It wasn't possible, of course. There was no way-

"You're pretending to listen even less than usual." Alyssa piped up next to him. "Are you alright?"

"I was just thinking she didn't look very happy." Atem commented, flicking his head almost imperceptibly back towards where Izzy and Bakura were, some distance behind.

"Ah, I kind of blew her off this morning." Alyssa admitted, a little sheepishly. "It's not Izzy, it's just... him."

"Him." Atem agreed, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"You don't sound like you approve."

"I don't. Do you?"

"Of course not."

"...But if she likes him, we can't really say anything."

"Nope."

"Hmmph. I'll keep an eye on her."

Alyssa started laughing at that. Atem didn't really know why.

Over the days that followed, there were plenty of times with Alyssa when he didn't really know why she was there or why he let her hang around. He supposed it might be because she wouldn't go away, or that he felt sorry for her. Bakura was really monopolising Izzy's time and she hardly saw her friends any more. Atem was convinced he was doing it purposefully, but he had no proof. He wanted to say they were not, could not be in love; but without proof there was nothing he could really do. Besides, it could be she really did like him- or thought she did. That was what worried Atem the most. He could see the darkness in Bakura and in all honesty did not want Izzy anywhere near it. He meant what he had said, he would watch over her carefully and step in if necessary.

"Hey." Atem said, interrupting Alyssa's laughter. "It's Marik-kun. Go and bother him."

"Eh?" She blinked, looking back over her shoulder. "Oh, it is! But, um, we're here now..."

With that, she scurried off to her shoe locker without waiting for Marik to arrive. Atem didn't particularly care, as long as she was out of his hair for a while. Marik could go and talk to her if he wanted to. He didn't, of course, heading straight to change his own shoes.

They really were hopeless, Atem thought, but it was nothing to do with him.

A moment later, Bakura arrived, pulling Izzy behind him. Atem glared. Bakura grinned triumphantly back. Not failing to notice the bad feeling in the air, Izzy looked at the floor. Unfortunately this meant that Bakura was able to kiss her without her having any prior warning.

Atem watched, seething. He fought the irrational urge to go and haul Bakura off her and beat him to some sort of slimy pulp, but managed to resist. His shoe locker suffered instead as he slammed the door shut with such force that the entire unit wobbled.

He didn't know what he was so angry about and he didn't care to think about it. The day they had all been to the festival together and the days of Izzy's constant friendship attempts seemed a very long time ago. Perhaps those attempts had not been sincere after all.

Out of the corner of her eye, Izzy watched him leave. She knew he didn't understand that this was really for the best. She hadn't wanted to be forced to decide, but she had, and she had chosen Bakura.

They would accept it in time. Or so she hoped.

* * *

When Alyssa stopped walking to school with Izzy because of Bakura, Marik knew he had to grab his chance. Only, he reminded himself, it's not like he wanted anything. He just figured she might feel lonely now. Or she might be taking Izzy's relationship with Bakura hard and need someone to talk too. That was all.

Only it took him several weeks to actually head over to East block one morning to look for her. Nervous, he opened the door to East and was about to head in when he noticed Izzy was standing there. He found out Alyssa had already gone and quickly took his leave.

He had been planning on catching up with her, but close to the school he saw her talking and laughing with Atem. He decided it was better not to interrupt. The two of them were together a lot nowadays. They seemed to have a lot of fun.

Yet somewhere, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think this would never have happened if Izzy had not started dating Bakura.

* * *

Marik was not the only one to notice what a lot of time Alyssa and Atem were spending together. Izzy couldn't help but notice. They were together almost all of the time. She had to wonder if there was something more than friendship going on. But Alyssa would have told her, surely?

Except that they were hardly talking any more.

Izzy made her resolution, that day towards the end of November when Alyssa told her she wouldn't be comfortable walking with Bakura that things had to change. Or rather, go back to how they used to be. She wouldn't, couldn't break up with her boyfriend to do so, but she could remain a friend to Alyssa. She was determined.

So, that day, she headed for the dining table Atem was trying to look like he wasn't sharing with Alyssa, and was trying to think what to say whilst keeping a wary eye out for her boyfriend who would probably want to eat with her. Seeing him on the opposite side of the canteen, she ducked guiltily behind a column and waited. Unfortunately, this put her in a perfect position to overhear Alyssa speaking.

"This sucks." She complained. "I hate it."

"What now?" Atem sighed.

"Marik-senpai just-"

He held up a hand to try and stop her. "This sounds like girl talk."

"-Completely blanked me." She continued, ignoring the hand.

"I'm not a girl."

"Well, you'll just have to pretend. Anyway, you're in the same class, right? Did he say anything?"

"About what?"

"I was in the council room just now and he barely said two words to me!" Alyssa said, worried. "He sounded uncomfortable even talking about the work we had to get done. It didn't sound like I've offended him, but I can't work out what's wrong."

"Well, he hasn't said anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, he hasn't said a word to me all day."

Izzy, still hidden behind the column, frowned at this. Since she had managed to acclimatise Atem to talking to people, Marik had forced Atem into conversation every day. And as for him all but blanking Alyssa... she wasn't sure that was even possible. She resolved then and there that she would have to have a word with him. It was about time Alyssa and Marik were together or he'd be graduating before they had any time together. She nodded to herself, and then thought Bakura must have gone by now and she should fulfil her original resolution to go and sit with them, but then she overheard her name come up in the conversation.

"...Izzy, and now Marik-senpai." Alyssa was sighing. "I feel like I'm losing all my friends. It's selfish of me, but I wish Izzy had never started dating Bakura."

Somewhere inside Izzy, she knew there was a part of herself that regretted it too. She had never wanted to lose her friends. She had hoped to grow closer to them everyday. She had hoped that Atem would come to trust her completely, or as she thought was more likely the problem, to come to trust himself. She knew there was some reason he was uncomfortable with people. She had hoped to get him to tell her what, one day, and then to make his worries dissolve into nothing.

Perhaps some things were never meant to be.

She slipped away from where Alyssa and Atem were. She considered going to sit with Bakura, but didn't want to see her boyfriend right then. If she could have done, she probably would have gone all the way back to her room at the dorms, just so she could get into her bed and cry over the loss of her friends.

But it was a smaller loss than what would occur if she wasn't with Bakura and she knew it. She hoped, one day, her friends would understand. At least the three of them weren't alone, even if Marik was in a mood that day, the three of them had each other and she had Bakura. Things would be fine.

She hoped.

* * *

Thanks to this second resolution, Izzy happened to be with Marik at the moment his heart tore in two. She had decided initially to give him the benefit of the doubt and wait a few days to confront him. It could just have been that he was in a bad mood that day and had treated everyone coldly. However, she watched closely over the next few days, and while Alyssa was frequently spotted with Atem, Marik was nowhere to be seen. Apparently he was still being distant with her at the council too, from what she overheard. It was time to go and confront him.

"Marik-senpai!" She called, seeing him ahead of her in the hallway one day. She was alone for once, Bakura- at her request- not walking her home, so she could speak with him. He turned, slightly reluctantly.

"Izzy-chan." He greeted politely. "It's been a while, hasn't it? How's your boyfriend?"

Izzy decided to ignore the question, given that talking about Bakura was probably not a good idea. Unfortunately, it also made her carefully-formed plans as to how to start this conversation redundant because he had beaten her to it. With the type of subtlety Alyssa would have been proud of, she said "Why are you ignoring Alyssa?"

"Huh?" He blinked. "...I'm not."

"Avoiding her, then." Izzy said, sighing. "Last time I checked, you were like totally in love with her. What happened? Did she do something stupid?"

"No, I did." Marik sighed, not bothering to deny it any more because he knew she wouldn't buy it.

"You think she's mad at you?" Izzy blinked. "I mean, I haven't spoken to her, but I think she's more worried you're mad at her..."

"It's not that I'm mad." He shook his head. "I just think I may have been a bit... forward."

This was greeted with a long pause.

"Did you grope her?" Izzy asked, eventually, unable to quite believe she was saying this.

"No, of course not!" Marik denied furiously, even as he began to blush. "I just meant, well, I might have made her uncomfortable if she's not interested in me like that!"

Izzy couldn't help but laugh at that. "Awww, Marik-senpai, that's kind of cute." She teased. "But you should know, Alyssa doesn't do subtle. Trust me, she won't even have noticed you like her. You really have to spell it out for that girl, preferably in neon letters."

"Yes, but... She doesn't want that kind of attention from me. When I see how relaxed she is around Atem-kun..."

"Marik-senpai, you've got it all wrong..." Izzy groaned and was about to start correcting him when they heard Alyssa's name somewhere to their left.

"You're kidding! Haruko Trent? That foreigner on the student council?"

"Yeah, her!"

"No way. That's not possible. Isn't she kinda hyperactive?"

"I know! I guess opposites really do attract." The first girl laughed. "I wouldn't have thought Atem-kun could date anyone, let alone her."

"What?" Marik muttered, barely audible.

"I should have guessed. They are always together nowadays..."

"Yeah. I think it's cute. It's nice to see him acknowledging other people exist."

"You're right, it's cute."

"I'm a little jealous, though... he is hot."

The conversation dissolved into laughter at this point. Izzy had been frozen, but she suddenly had an uncontrollable desire to run, so she did. She didn't look back to see how Marik was taking it. She just wanted desperately to get back to her own room. She hurried back, trying not to wonder why she was so upset about this, or even admit she was upset at all. She reached the door of E203 just in time to see Alyssa unlocking E204.

"Alyssa! Why didn't you tell me?!" She demanded.

"What?"

"I'm your friend, aren't I? I know you're mad about Bakura, but you could at least have told me! How long have you been dating Atem?!"

"What?" Alyssa's face hardened. "What are you so mad about? Maybe if you weren't so busy sucking face with a guy who made my life hell for over a year you'd know what was going on in my life!"

"I didn't ask for you to start avoiding me!" Izzy answered furiously. "You were the one that put the distance between us!"

"If you really believe that," Alyssa growled "You don't know anything! You just don't understand!"

"Don't give me that!" Izzy answered. "You're the one who won't accept that I'm dating him, stop being so selfish already!"

"Oh? And how accepting are you being right now?"

"I'm just annoyed that you didn't tell me! You don't trust me at all, do you?!"

"Or you don't trust me." Alyssa answered, offended.

"What? When have I ever not trusted you?"

The only answer to that was the slamming of the door to E204. Unlike the last time they had argued, it would not be opening for reconciliation.

* * *

Izzy lay on her bed, and waited for something to happen. She had never seen Alyssa and Atem becoming a couple and could hardly imagine it now. Then again, she didn't know what was going on with Alyssa nowadays at all. It wasn't surprising something like this could happen without her knowing.

But then, she couldn't help but be curious. Had Alyssa confessed some feelings no-one had known she had? Had Atem just asked her out? Izzy had thought she was getting to know him better. Now it seemed she was wrong. She had never guessed he might have liked Alyssa. He always seemed wary of her, warier even than he was of Izzy. Even when she had seen the two of them together, he looked ready to bolt at the slightest problem. If anyone had suggested to her before the festival that Alyssa and Atem would get together in a month or so, she would have laughed in their face.

But then again, the festival. Atem had seemed so furious when he had hauled Bakura off her, although it had been Marik that did all the talking. Then there was all the stuff the year before that Alyssa had told her about; he _had _saved her from getting the blame. And hadn't he been there when Marik had rescued her from the climbing wall, looking about ready to go up there himself?

She let out a deep sigh. Maybe it wasn't so unbelievable. No more unbelievable than her being with Bakura, anyway.

It was strange, how things turned out even when everyone involved only had best intentions at heart- their own, or those of others. Something was wrong here, she knew. But she didn't know what she could do about it.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Bakura called her just then.

"We're going out." He announced as soon as she picked up, not even allowing her time to greet him.

"When?" She answered, sighing at his rudeness.

"Tomorrow night. Wear something nice."

Silence fell over them for a moment.

"Did you know?" Izzy asked in the end.

"About what?"

"Alyssa and Atem."

"Oh, I heard." She could hear a teasing smirk in his voice. "Guess this means it's a good thing you have me. You're running out of anyone else."

"Guess so." Izzy answered, dully.

It was strange, how things turned out.

* * *

The same table in the same restaurant. The same musicians and the same violins. It was probably the same melody, too, if only someone could remember what it had been last time. The customers were all the same sorts of people too, people so old they had more money than they knew what to do with, couples with special occasions, young people flashing daddy's money. There were only two that didn't fit the mould, and Izzy knew they stuck out like a sore thumb. This place was classy. Really classy. She wondered how he could afford it. He had probably gone back to theft again. Now that she thought about it, she had heard a lot of people complaining about small amounts of missing money. More subtle than a Ұ30000 sting on the student council, and harder to catch. She frowned.

"How are you affording this?"

"I want to treat you."

"That's not what I asked."

"It's how I answered." He dismissed, then smirked. "That English accent of yours. It's so... cute. You really are adorable, Izzy."

"Don't change the subject." She snapped. "Let me pay half of this, at least."

"If you really want to pay me back..." He smirked. "Tell me you love me."

Startled, Izzy said nothing.

"Go on!" He prompted. "Say you love me!"

She opened her mouth, but then thought better of it and changed what she was about to say. "You don't love me." She stated, cagily.

"Probably not." He agreed.

"So why go out with me?"

He smirked. "Well, the truth is, you're awfully attractive and I would dearly love to wake up next to you and have the whole world know I did."

"Not going to happen." Izzy said, squeezing the menu so hard the cover started to bend despite the metal placed around the edge to stop it creasing.

"Say that again after the food." He whispered, smirking. She said nothing, and clenched the menu harder.

He wondered if she really believed that. Yes, she was pretty, but that didn't really interest him much. Nor was he in love with her, this he had admitted. The truth was, after being caught raiding the treasury, he wanted nothing more than Alyssa and Marik to be against one another, to be ostracised, and Atem to be alone. Things had not turned out quite as he had wanted, but it was close enough. And then _she _came and brought them together. That would not do. In her, as she seemed to bring them together and make them happy, he recognised something. Happiness and unity should never be pinned to a person, because that person can be removed. Havoc could be wreaked. He could make it so they were even more miserable than he had hoped, even more miserable than he had been.

This was not for Izzy. This was for revenge.

* * *

_**A/N: (Waffles4eva): Le gasp, how could Izzy? I'm not surprised Alyssa was angry, though I felt bad writing them arguing. Mostly, though, I enjoyed it. XD I do love a bit of drama, which is probably where most of this story comes from. Not that it is a drama. I think it defies genre. Oh well.**_

**A/N: (scooby2408): I wonder if your reaction to the 'new couple' was the same as mine - I came very very close to swearing. Although now that I think about it, it's partly my fault - we were talking one day about random pairings in Strangers Like Me and the Izzy/Bakura one was my contribution to that discussion. I didn't think that it would return to bite me. ^_^;; ****Thanks for reading and I'll leave you with the preview for next time:**

**"We've reached the half way point! I wonder what will happen next?"**

"Wait, does this mean I'm forgiven?"

**"It's Christmas, the season of goodwill! Whatever will become of our heroes?"**

"Wait, are you ignoring me? Don't ignore me, it's not my fault. Anyway, it's rude."

**"I'm not ignoring you."**

"Answer me then!"

**"You're normally the one bugging me to do the preview."**

"Yes, but that was before we argued."

**"I know what you want to say. You want to say, Alyssa, get your hands off my guy, b-"**

"Alyssa!! Behave!"

**"Fine... Next time, who will realise thier feelings?... And who won't? Over the Rainbow Episode Six: Friendship - Cut Down In It's Prime!" **

"... So we don't make up yet...?"


	6. Friendship

**A/N: I have to say this 'Christmas' episode seems somewhat inappropriate for this precise moment in time - one of those rare days in a British Summer in which the sun is actually shining, but never mind. As Alyssa said in the past preview '****We've reached the half way point' and I can tell you things are certainly going to go downhill from here... because then where else would we get the drama...  
**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours_

* * *

Episode Six: Friendship- Cut Down in its Prime!

There was something lonely in the air that December. It was almost the winter break, almost Christmas. There were fairy lights strung over the front entrance of the school, between the grey sky and the ice on the pavements, under a thin layer of snow that had fallen overnight and was already turning to slush. Trying to ignore the icy water soaking through the front of his shoes, Marik continued on his way. He studied the floor, trying to see if he was still making footprints, if only to avoid looking over to his left.

Some distance away, Atem and Alyssa were making their own way to school, deep in conversation. Or rather, she was chattering away and Atem was nodding every few seconds. She was smiling, but not laughing. She seemed to have been laughing less, recently.

Suddenly, he heard her yelp in surprise. He whipped his head up just in time to see Alyssa's feet sliding out from under her, and her about to smack into the pavement. She didn't have time to react or to steady herself, but it seemed Atem's reflexes were quicker. He reached out with both arms and caught her, pulling her upright. As he slowly let go, Marik could see Alyssa's face going red. He hurried on his way. If they were going to start kissing, he didn't need to see it.

Switching his sodden outdoor shoes for indoor ones, Marik turned to go to class, but then saw Atem further down the row of lockers, Alyssa waiting patiently for him, flipping through a book. Like she used to do with Izzy before Bakura started lingering around her like a bad smell. Her forehead furrowed when she was reading, concentrating more than she did on anything else. He loved it when she looked like that.

And, a tiny voice whispered inside him, he loved her. Just a little too late.

"She'll never notice you, you know." A silken voice said in his ear. Startled, Marik jumped and turned to see Bakura.

"What do you want?" He sighed.

"Nothing." Bakura shrugged. "Just some friendly advice. She's with Atem now. Nothing you can do about it, so get over it."

"I'll bear that in mind." Marik snapped, slamming his shoe locker shut and going to class the long way, so he wouldn't have to pass Alyssa. Bakura leant against the shelving unit with a smirk. What fools these people were. They considered themselves Alyssa and Atem's friends, and yet had never bothered to ask them in the rumours were true.

"There you are." Izzy said, appearing by his side. "Where did you go? I was all ready..." She trailed off, seeing that Atem and Alyssa were talking. She looked on the verge of laughing, he was looking at her intently as he spoke quietly. She frowned and grabbed hold of Bakura's arm. "Don't cause trouble." She reminded him, sternly, and dragged him off in the same direction Marik had gone.

If only they had been able to hear what the topic of conversation between the two was.

"You know," Alyssa said, casually, not looking up from her book. "There's this rumour going round that we're dating."

Atem, who had been leaning in to get his shoes out, started up suddenly and almost knocked himself out on the door. "What?!" He demanded, holding his injured head. "Oh, that is... um..."

"Don't worry." Alyssa chuckled. "I'm not hoping it'll come true or anything. I just thought you might want to know."

"It sounds stupid to me." He muttered.

"Yep." Alyssa agreed, looking at her book again. "But Izzy believed it."

"What?!"

"Yeah, seemed pretty upset about it too."

"Oh."

"Yelled and everything."

"Right."

"...I slammed the door in her face and we've hardly spoken since."

"Ah."

"Sooo... when are you going to steal her?"

"What?!" He cried for the third time in the same conversation. Alyssa had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"It's simple." She sighed in exasperation. "What, do you want me to storyboard it for you? Izzy is the captured princess, the archetypal damsel in distress, captured or otherwise enchanted by an evil sorcerer, who has somehow charmed her. That means you're the prince, who has to go sweeping in on his white horse to rescue her and ride off into the sunset."

"You're insane." Atem informed her, irritated. "She already has a boyfriend."

"Was that analogy too complex for you? He's the villain! You have to rescue her!"

"And she may not want rescuing." He sighed. "Haruko, stop meddling. Izzy can make her own decisions."

"Alright, fine. Only as long as you love her too, right?"

"Right- wait, what?!"

She laughed. "You should listen to what I'm actually saying, Atem, not just what you think I'm saying."

He said nothing, going red.

"Atem and Izzy sitting in a tree-!"

"Quiet right now." Atem hissed, covering her mouth with his hand. Then he pulled it away as fast as he could. "...Did you just lick me?!"

"Maybe."

"That's disgusting!"

"It was that or biting."

"You." He said, flatly. "Are infuriating."

"You." She mimicked. "Just admitted you like Izzy."

"I do not, you just tricked me."

"Oh, come on." She whined. "I know you miss her, you're always watching her. Baka-ra just makes you uncomfortable, right?"

"You're wrong."

"No, I know I'm not!"

"You are." He answered, and turned to go to class without a further word. Alyssa sighed, and followed a few paces behind. The silence stretched between them.

* * *

Bakura was on top of the world. Things were going better than he could have ever hoped. Izzy was almost permanently miserable because her friends barely spoke to her. He knew that was because he was so close by. So, naturally, he made a point of being around her as much as possible. He tried not to leave her alone if he could help it. There was no reason to give her cause to go running back to her friends. He wanted her to be utterly dependant on him for any human contact. She seemed to have a power over people that drew them together, saved them from their own inner darknesses. And he so desired to see those who had plunged him into the shadows to follow him.

So far, it seemed to be working. Atem was finally starting to mix with his classmates, if only to take out on them his near permanent bad mood. You could barely breath in his air space without him removing your throat. Even Alyssa had noticed, and had withdrawn into her student council duties. Her excuse was that they needed to get everything sorted before the holiday and New Years, but she was doing double time. And in all that time, Marik barely glanced her way because he thought there was no way she would be looking at him. They were all depressed and lonely, worse, even, then they had been before Izzy had arrived. And it was glorious.

Still, the proximity of the winter break worried him slightly. He would be hard pressed to keep Izzy interested in all that time. He would have to remember some of the old haunts he had been to the last time he'd been dating and try to recreate the same thing. He supposed, if this charade of a relationship was to continue, he should get her a Christmas present. He wondered if she would get him one. He smirked at the thought. As if. Izzy was probably going to break soon and go back to her old friends, he thought. And woe betide them if she did.

* * *

It was the last day before the winter break, and the last hour. It was a homeroom period, given over to the need for last minute messages, notices, revision and the like. In class 2A, this translated to a time to have an end of year class party.

In Japan, it was _always _time to party, at least as far as her classmates were concerned.

Izzy sat in a seat close to the back of the room, watching the others chattering and mucking around. It reminded her of the party they'd thrown for her when she'd first arrived. That had been a happy day, and she'd been the centre of attention. How things changed. Still, she was quite happy to sit at the back and only speak when spoken too given that the party had now changed to karaoke. It was quite entertaining, and some people had surprising talent. They were forcing pretty much everyone to have a go, by picking student numbers at random. Izzy, being only there for six months, had not been assigned a student number. Hopefully, they hadn't noticed, and she'd get away with it.

Alyssa's had already been picked. She was next, and Hachiro- who had been surprisingly good- was teasing her about it. Izzy watched the argument, trying not to laugh, and also trying not to think about how much she missed her friend. Alyssa caught her looking. Had they been in the halls, Alyssa would surely have looked away. Instead, she walked over.

"Don't think you're getting away with this." She grinned. "Care to join me for a song?"

Izzy was so surprised at being spoken too, she agreed without thinking- as long as it was in English and not Japanese. The song was duly selected, and because Izzy was busy trying to escape and being hauled back by some of the others, Alyssa attempted the first verse.

"And it's a sad picture, the final blow hits you, someone else gets what you wanted again, you know it's all the same, another time and place, repeating history and you're getting sick of it, but I believe in whatever you do, and I'll do anything to see it through..."

Izzy was just glad she knew the song, because she would never have picked up the tune from that. It was definitely time to rescue this massacre, so she joined in, trying to drown her friend's dud notes out.

"Because these things will change, can you feel it now? These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down, it's a revolution, the time will come for us to finally win and we'll sing hallelujah..."

It was almost appropriate, Izzy thought, given the 'walls' that had grown up between them recently. Perhaps that was why Alyssa had chosen it. As she pondered, however, she realised Alyssa had collapsed into helpless laughter and she would have to take the second verse alone.

"So we've been outnumbered, raided and now cornered, it's hard to fight when the fight ain't fair, we're getting stronger now from things they never found, they might be bigger but we're faster and never scared; you can walk away and say we don't need this, but something in your eyes says we can beat this, 'cause these... dammit, Alyssa!" She cursed, as she could no longer hold back the giggling herself. That set Alyssa off more, which set her off, until they were in hysterics. It felt good to laugh together again. Eventually they were booed off stage.

"...I thought you were mad at me." Izzy said, eventually.

"I'm wasn't mad." Alyssa lied. "...well, not so much. It's not you, it's just him I can't stand to be around. But he's not here and I missed you and I figured you could be quilted into making a prat of yourself on the karaoke."

"Alyssa!"

She laughed. "Now now, let's not fight when we're making up. Anyway, it's Christmas."

"You're right." Izzy nodded. "Good will to all men and all that..." She looked at her pointedly, silently asking if that extended to Bakura. Alyssa answered by remaining silent, and then changed subject.

"Did you send any gifts home to your family?" She asked.

"No." Izzy shook her head. "We decided we wouldn't. I'll be home in March, so we decided to have it at Easter when we were all together."

"Oh." Alyssa said, suddenly reminded that her friend would be going home, and slightly appalled with herself for wasting so much time. "I can't believe how fast it's going."

"Nor me." Izzy grimaced. "Hey, there's no way I can see Bakura twenty-four seven over the break. We'll have to hang out. There are still a lot of places in Japan I want to see!"

"Ah, I can't." Alyssa frowned. "I thought I told you, I'm going home for the break."

"Oh." Izzy sighed. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Then that means we still have tonight." Izzy pointed out. "...If you want."

"That's true." Alyssa answered. "Too cold to go out, though."

"I have a DVD player." Izzy ventured.

"I have a three foot tall stack of anime." Alyssa commented.

They grinned at each other.

"Let me just phone Bakura and give him some lie as to why I can't come out with him tonight." Izzy said, cheerfully.

"Sounds good."

"I guess I'll give you your present then."

"Yes, me too."

All was well. Almost.

* * *

Half way through the Christmas break, and Atem was bored. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but it was true. He hated himself for suddenly not being able to be in his own company. What had happened to his self-imposed solitude?

He knew the answer to that, of course. Izzy had happened. She wouldn't take no for an answer and, to his own disgust, he had come to rely on her. Of course, it also seemed she couldn't say no to Bakura either and had ended up dating him.... his fists clenched around the magazine he was reading, crumpling the pages. He _knew _Bakura was up to something. Surely when there was someone with that much darkness in him, there would be no room for love. He had heard a rumour from girls in the school that Bakura had been with a British girlfriend before, could that have been her? Or was it another girl, and Izzy just reminded him? Shadows had consumed him, were corrupting him; no matter what Izzy's own peculiar nature, there was no way she could clear up that mess. What could Bakura want with her?

He could think of one thing. She was very pretty.

Abruptly, the light bulb exploded. Atem sat very still, waiting for the shards of glass to finish falling, trying to calm his breathing, cool his boiling blood. That was the fifth light bulb since the holiday had started. The school was sending an electrician to examine the fitting in his room the next day, but that would do no good. This was a darkness that could not be touched, could not be broken into, would only spread like a virus. He held his head in his hands. What good did this power do him? He could see the shadows in people's hearts, and those shadows seemed to attach themselves to him- and anyone close to him. That was why he had transferred to a school with boarding, wasn't it? He should have known better. He was a disease that needed to be quarantined. Izzy would be fine with Bakura- after all, he himself was no better. Alyssa would just have to get over her shyness of Marik, once she got home from visiting her parents, he would avoid her. He stood, his eyes seeing easily in the darkness that constantly assaulted his senses. They fell on the three presents on his table. One neatly wrapped in blue paper, with a small card, written in Izzy's neat and exact print; because she had learnt Kanji copying every stroke from a table. One was no more than a padded envelope, from Marik, who had seemed to give out of a sense of duty. He had been rather cold recently- probably because he thought he was stealing his girl, Atem realised now. The third was more or less in bright paper, looking more like a bomb of paper and cellotape had collided with it than that there had been any human effort. There were even a few of Alyssa's hair stuck in the seal.

All three went in the bin and he headed outside.

It was dark. Somehow, as he had been aimlessly flipping through the magazine, night had almost finished. It was dark, but the sort that was breathless with the wait for first light. There was a cold bite in the blue air, so he walked to warm up. The morning dew on the grass was just beginning to turn to frost. It must have been about four am. The streets were more or less deserted, and that was how Atem liked them. He frowned up at the clouds. It would probably snow again later. He walked quickly, not bothering to take care on the treacherous ice. If he fell, he would just have to get up.

Needless to say, this was not the first walk of it's kind and probably would not be the last.

He was passing through the park. There were only two other people around- a homeless person who seemed to be getting a better night's sleep than Atem, and a presumably insomniac jogger. The latter had a small patch of darkness around them. Something in the past that had left them bitter, perhaps, a hurt they had not quite been able to let go of it. Time would see it fade away, or grow, depending. Atem focused his eyes on the floor and tried to convince himself that nothing was going to happen.

However, even as they approached one another, he believed he could see, out of the corner of his eye, the shadow growing. He began to run himself, feet slipping slightly on the icy tarmac. He was running straight for the jogger, but that was okay, as long as they passed one another quickly, before-

But he knew what was going to happen, and it did. As he passed by, the shadow jumped out to reach for him, and grew massively, to double, quadruple, it's original size. The jogger yelled and then crumpled to the floor. The shadow shrank back to it's original size, and smaller, and disappeared. Atem didn't see this. He was still running. But he heard the impact as the person hit the pavement, and he knew. It had happened again.

He ran back to the dormitories, trying to reason with himself. Maybe it wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been _thinking _about it so much. No-one had powers that there was no way to control. He just hadn't found it yet.

Unless it wasn't powers but a curse.

He ran faster.

"Atem-senpai." A voice called to him, suddenly. He slammed into the doors of North Building, stopping suddenly. He turned around.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Izzy said, carefully. She was standing in front of a bench that stood on the corner between East and North. "What are you doing out here? Why don't you have a coat?"

"...Well, what are you doing out here?" Atem demanded, snapping.

"I couldn't sleep." Izzy admitted. "There's a lot on my mind. And I wanted to watch the snow."

"Snow?" Atem looked up, confused. He hadn't even noticed. But it was snowing, and probably had been for some time. His clothes were soaked.

"You should get inside." Izzy frowned. "You'll catch cold."

But he sat down next to her instead, because there was no way he was giving up on their first real conversation in weeks. Alyssa's words echoed unbidden into his mind. Was it time to 'rescue' her? He was sure Bakura was up to something, he just didn't know what.

"...Are you happy?" He asked, abruptly, after several moments of silence.

"Huh?"

"With Bakura." He explained, gruffly.

"Oh... well..." She hedged. "What about you and Alyssa?"

"Let me make this perfectly clear, there is _nothing _between me and Alyssa!!"

Izzy couldn't help but laugh, not only from his forceful tone- more forceful than she had ever heard him- but also from relief. Somehow, her heart felt lighter. The world was just that little bit more sane.

"What's so funny?"

"You are." She chuckled. "...Is Alyssa doing okay?"

"Hmmph." He sighed. "She misses you. Why are you dating Bakura?"

Izzy gave a sigh to mirror his, standing up to stretch. She was almost relieved. It was about time someone asked her that; and his bluntness was refreshing. "...It's a secret." She said, slowly.

"...I heard a rumour that Bakura was dating a British girl last year." Atem commented. "Alyssa said you weren't in Japan then. Is that why it's a secret?"

"No." Izzy shook her head. "If he really did date another British girl, it wasn't me. Might explain why he made the offer, though..."

"Offer?" Atem sat up straighter, alert.

She turned to him, smiling slightly sadly in the snow. "Atem-senpai," She said, slowly. "Has Bakura caused you any trouble recently?"

"What...? No."

She said nothing. Just smiled.

"What?!"

"I just wanted..." She started, took a deep breath, and began again. "I just wanted him to leave Alyssa alone. And he said if I dated him, then he would."

"...Why?" Atem asked, after a long pause.

"I don't know." Izzy shrugged. "But he seems to have kept his word so far. So... I'm glad I could do something for my friends to be happy."

"...Are you happy?" He asked, quietly.

"What? I wanted to-"

"Are you happy?!" He demanded. "I can't believe you... sold yourself!"

"You make it sound like I'm sleeping with him." Izzy glared.

"You might as well be! What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm helping my friends! I'd rather be miserable than them!"

"We weren't miserable!" He said, furiously. "If you hadn't disappeared I'm sure you would have bullied Marik into asking Alyssa out by now! And she didn't care about Bakura! He was like a little flea bite to her! An irritation but nothing more! She was happiest when her best friend was here! And I... I..."

"I saw Alyssa standing in front of him and she was afraid! She was hurt and afraid and broken! I don't want to see her like that again!"

"Stop trying to fix things that only time can!" Atem returned, angrily. "What about the rest of us?! You were the first friend I had that I didn't destroy and you just threw it away!"

"...Destroy?"

He said nothing and turned his back to her.

"Atem?"

"It's nothing. Forget it." He said, flatly.

"...Is this why you were trying to keep everyone out?" She asked, tentatively.

He couldn't tell her. There was no way he could tell her. She would reject him. He couldn't tell her. Yet she took his silence for a yes.

"Atem... I'm sure that, whatever happened, it wasn't your fault."

"It was." He said, quietly. "I... just have this effect, and people..."

Izzy went silent for a long time. Something in Atem's words left no room for doubt, vague as they were. This, then, was her rejection. He stood to leave.

"Atem!" She blurted, suddenly, because she knew if she let him leave now that would be it, and he would never open up to her properly. "Do you think grenades are a good thing?"

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Sorry, it's a bad example..." She said, sheepishly. "But answer the question. Are they bad?"

"They kill people, so yeah."

She shook her head. "What about when they're used to shift debris in landslides, so people can be rescued? What about the flash grenades that blind the villains long enough for the good guys to round them up? Or-"

"What's your point?" He asked, icily.

"My point is that most things can be used for good as well as harm, if you think hard enough." She said, and smiled.

All the forgiveness of the world was in that smile, and he felt so relieved.

* * *

_**A/N (Waffle4eva): And who didn't see that coming? Apart from Scooby, haha. I mean, really. How could Izzy ever had fallen up for Bakura. Ewww. As for Atem, things probably don't completely make sense yet, but for the rest of the explanation, you'll just have to wait. :P Just when it seemed like they were going to all be fine... Haha, there are ten episodes to this story, I wonder if they'll be able to sort everything out in time or if it'll be an unhappy ending? I really enjoyed writing grumpy Atem in this chapter, though I don't think Alyssa's helping the rumours acting the way she does with him. When he was worried she wanted to go out with him, I was very tempted to have her tease him by pretending to be, but it would have disrupted the flow too much. Maybe I'll write it one day as a deleted scene. XD**_

**A/N (scooby2408): She did make me thing for one terrifying moment before she handed this episode over that Izzy had fallen for him. I had to breathe a sigh of relief when I read this episode.I think ewwwwwwww just about sums the pairing up don't you? Thanks for reading and I 'll leave you with the preview for next time:**

**"Gaah, as if things couldn't get worse!!"**

"It gets worse?! How?! What happens?!"

**"Man, I though things were going to get better, too.."**

"What happens?"

**"Suspicion!"  
**

"Of who?"

**"Cheating!"**

"What?"

**"Stealing!"**

"Bakura again...?"

**"Manipulation, lies, false belief!"**

"Must you be so dramatic?"

**"CONFORNTATION!!"**

"... Now you're just getting carried away."

**"It's dramatic effect! It's fun!"**

"It's ridiculous!"

**"Over the Rainbow Episode Seven - Betrayal: The Pain of a Two-Faced Friend!"**


	7. Betrayal

**A/N: Welcome back to another episode of Over the Rainbow, now their Christmas period is over it's on to business!**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

* * *

Episode Seven- Betrayal- The Pain of a Two-Faced Friend!

Something had changed over the Christmas break. That much was clear. Making his way through the cold January morning, Marik frowned at the people he could see in front of him. It wasn't right. But then, it wasn't exactly wrong either.

As he lived with his family not far from the campus, he usually missed the worst of the students cramming out of the dormitory buildings and filing down the street to the school, joining it instead at the gate. Students had to force their way through the entrance and past one another, and most people would get mixed about and lose their friends in the ensuing confusion. It could have been that Atem and Izzy had simply been flung together in the human tide, but he doubted it. Not while neither Bakura nor Alyssa were anywhere to be seen. Not when Izzy was laughing at what he said like that. Atem was not that funny a guy.

Marik shook his head suddenly, pushing his own way through the gate. He had no reason to have suddenly become so suspicious. Alyssa had been away for the holiday, hadn't she? Izzy had really been Atem's only other friend. He would have needed someone to hang out with until school restarted and Alyssa came home. There was no reason to suspect Atem had been cheating on her- and Izzy would never have done that anyway. Both girls seemed happy enough in their current relationships, so there was no reason there could not be innocent friendships on the side.

He would just have to get used to that.

Marik really had spent a quiet Christmas at home, as most students had. He had given presents to Alyssa, Atem and Izzy despite feeling awkward with the latter two, but hadn't seen them. He had spent most of his time at home, or out with other friends. He just found it hard to be around Atem at that time. He had finally admitted to himself that he liked Alyssa more than as a friend, and if he had only acted on it sooner…

No. Alyssa wouldn't go out with someone just for the sake of it. If she was with Atem, it was Atem she liked and he could never have won her anyway. He was a little jealous, but he'd have to cope with it- just so long as Atem treated her right.

Marik thought he was keeping these feelings carefully covered up, and perhaps he was. However, there was one person who knew them and fully intended to use them to his own ends. Bakura was not happy with the way things were going. At first it had seemed that separating Izzy from her friends had been a stroke of brilliance. All of those he wished his revenge on had been absolutely miserable, Izzy being so too was an unhoped for bonus. He had found himself beginning to hate her too. She just brought back too many memories, of a girl he used to love. Everything about her, her hair, her eyes, her accent… they were too similar. It made him angry to look at her, sometimes, and it was all he could do not to kill her where she stood. He didn't want this crude imitation of what he had once had. Dating another girl, even one that didn't want to be with him, was only serving to prove that a hole had been left in his life no-one else could fill. He didn't like that. He didn't like how Izzy made him remember her and he especially didn't like that Izzy didn't seem to hate him. Dislike, certainly, but she didn't seem to think he was completely evil. She had even, stupidly, given him a Christmas present. He didn't understand her. She seemed to think there was good in everyone and it almost made him want to be good. Almost.

The truth was, if it came down to a straight choice between being a good person or getting revenge, revenge was a lot more fun. Maybe he was just malicious. But wasn't it delightful?

Or it would be, if things were going to plan. It hadn't escaped his notice that, all of a sudden, Marik seemed to be the only one even a little depressed. He had seen Alyssa bouncing around the corridors, far too energetic for the first day of term, laughing with her friends and classmates after a two week absence that seemed so long to all involved. Nor had it escaped his notice that Izzy had ditched him that morning and walked to school with Atem. He had seen them together, talking and laughing, having fun.

Well, he'd have to put a stop to that. He smirked to himself, but made no move for now. All the best tacticians knew it was all in the timing.

* * *

Atem stopped just short of the doors to the school building, suddenly unable to go in. It had only been two weeks, but somehow, he felt like he couldn't face it. Izzy stopped next to him.

"What's wrong?" She frowned.

"I don't think I should go in."

"Do you feel sick?" Izzy asked, confused. "You do seem a bit pale… It's your own fault for being out in the snow without a coat!"

"Something like that." Atem sighed. He could almost see Izzy's internal debate over whether she should say something or not.

"Is this... something to do with what you were trying to tell me before?" She asked, hesitantly. "It's like you're afraid of hurting people if you get close to them and I just don't get it. Atem-senpai, what happened to you?"

Atem did not know how to answer that question. Thankfully, he didn't have to as he was grabbed from behind.

"Stealth attack!" Alyssa laughed, hugging him.

"It's not a stealth attack if you yell that." Atem pointed out, irritated. "Get off me."

"But I'm cooooooooooooold..." She whined. "Anyway, you haven't seen me for two weeks, you know you love it!"

"It's behaviour like this that makes everyone think we're dating! Let go!" Atem struggled in vain to pull her arms away from him.

"I know." Alyssa smirked. "But it's just too much fun seeing you getting so rattled. You are capable of emotion! Who knew?!"

"Get off me!!"

At length, Alyssa let go and turned to smile at Izzy. "Hey, did you have a nice holiday?"

"Yes, thank you. You?"

"Fine. Now let's go back inside, I am freezing!"

"Then don't come outside and attack people." Atem snapped back, and the two went ahead, bickering.

And that was it. Izzy couldn't help but feel a little sad about it. It seemed things were not back to normal between Alyssa and herself just yet. A few months ago, at the airport, she had been the one getting tackle hugged at ninety miles an hour. Not anymore. She had thought of the karaoke on the last day of term as a peace gesture, but perhaps there were some things in life that were irreparable.

She wondered if Alyssa was as sad about this change in their relationship, and if there was anything either of them could do about it.

None of the three, each wrapped up in their own thoughts, realised Marik had been watching from a classroom window. He had forced himself inside ahead of them, but there they were. Alyssa didn't even wait for Atem to get inside, she ran outside to embrace him. He felt the envy stir within him and tried to put it to sleep with a stern voice. They were dating, they could do what they liked. This was just the way things were.

But it hurt more than he thought it would.

Later, Izzy would wish that they had thought to tell him that Alyssa was not dating Atem. In truth, Alyssa had assumed he wouldn't be interested and everyone else had assumed Alyssa would tell him. Things would have turned out very differently if only someone had told him.

The fact that nobody did tell him, however, would serve Bakura's ends very nicely. All he had to do was lay off a little, take a step back, and let them make their own mess for him to take advantage of.

They seemed only too happy to oblige. He couldn't believe their stupidity. All he had to do was leave her alone for five minutes, and look what happened. Maybe Atem really loved her. What fun this all was.

* * *

The holiday, Izzy thought, had passed remarkably quickly. She had thought it would drag, but it hadn't. The truth was, after the chance meeting with Atem a few days before Christmas, she had seen rather a lot of him. She had expected- and dreaded- some come uppance from Bakura, but he had been remarkably distant over the break. Maybe he just had no interest in their charade of a relationship if there was no-one there to annoy with it. Not that she minded in the slightest. Atem still found it hard to spend a lot of time in anyone's company but his own, but they went to a few places, the park and ice-skating. Almost as if they were dating.

Izzy shook her head furiously, face going red. Just who did she think she was? Alyssa? She didn't get crushes, least of all on someone who she wouldn't see after she went home in March. Especially when she did, technically, have a boyfriend... She forced herself to focus on her maths lesson with a sigh, hoping no-one had noticed her sudden blush. It seemed it was not to be. Alyssa was watching her curiously. Then she grinned.

Izzy had a terrible feeling her mind- or at least her face- had just been read. She had to stop thinking about Atem. Some things just weren't meant to be.

Little did she know, in a classroom somewhere on the next floor up, Atem was finding himself thinking about her too. His history lesson uninteresting, he found himself staring at the calendar just to the left of the teacher's head. It was already January. Izzy had mentioned she was on a six month long transfer, but when had she arrived? He had taken so little interest in any of the happenings in school before meeting her that he found he had very little idea. The first he had really known of her was towards the end of September, thanks to her constantly throwing herself and her friendship at him, perhaps encouraged by Alyssa- though something in him hoped not. Then they had been to the festival together and he had given her that ill-fated fish. Bakura had killed it. He hadn't replaced it yet. Thinking about it, he had not given her a return gift for the Christmas present she'd given him. Yes, he'd paid for her to go into the New Year's fireworks show with him and she seemed to consider that her gift, but he didn't.

His mind wandered back to that night. He had never seen them close up either. He had only moved here the previous year, and then had been determined to avoid crowds. This year, he hadn't intended the trip as a treat for her. It was a test. A test of his own ability and of hers. He knew the darkness of people's hearts, the shadows only he could see, would all be drawn to him, all grow and multiply until the person was consumed. But if Izzy was there too... he wanted to see what would happen.

But nothing did. Nothing bad. In fact, once they were there, he had hardly thought about it. He had been too busy watching how the different coloured flashes reflected on her features, how they spilt over her hair. He hadn't thought himself capable of romantic thought before that.

Not that he intended to make a habit of it. It had just been the atmosphere of the place. At least, that's what he told himself.

But a return gift wasn't a bad idea. He wondered where he could get a fish from.

* * *

Acquiring a fish proved harder than Atem had anticipated. There were so many different varieties and they needed more care than he thought. The tank had to be properly equipped, and the water had to be in the bowl for some time before the fish could go in. It seemed a little ridiculous, seeing as the plan for the one won at the festival was to be kept in a bucket until a tank could be found. In the end, he went for another goldfish. They seemed fairly resilient, as long as her _boyfriend_ didn't decide to kill it again.

Still, she had seemed to spend an awful lot less time with him over the holiday than she had previously to it. He could only hope that it meant she had taken what he had said seriously. Dating someone to protect your friends was no reason to date anyone. To his mind, it was a waste of time unless you liked that person 'that' way and he was pretty sure Izzy didn't. Nor was he convinced Bakura liked her. He was up to something, Atem was sure, but he had no idea as to what. The less time he and Izzy were spending together, the better.

It took a week of daily visits to the pet shop, through snow and sleet and ice and the grey January weather, to assemble everything. The worst was taking the fish home on the bus, in a large plastic bag of water. People kept staring and he felt absurd and wondered why he was doing this. He had no answer to that question. Introducing the fish to the tank in his room and watching it swim around exploring, he just hoped she'd like it and not think he was being weird. The next day, he fed the fish to make sure it didn't expire during the day and headed to school. He was running slightly late- the lid on a tub of fish food was surprisingly hard to undo- and didn't conveniently bump into her on the walk to the school, as he normally would. Sighing, he called in at 2A's classroom on his way upstairs.

Looking around the door, he saw she was already at her desk, getting books out of her bag and making polite conversation with Alyssa. Things were still not quite back to normal between the two, but it was a start. He walked over to them.

"Atem-senpai!" Izzy exclaimed as she saw him. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"Fine. I just wanted to talk to you."

She smiled. "You know, I think this is the first time you've come to find me rather than the other way around. You're learning."

"...Anyway," He said, slightly annoyed at this assessment of his character. "I need you to come by my room later. It's N001. Right by the front door."

"Okay..." Izzy answered, slowly. "I'll come over later."

Atem nodded and left without further ceremony, leaving Izzy at the mercy of her classmates.

"Izzy, how could you?!"

"Don't you already have a boyfriend?"

"Man, what a..."

"No way! You should dump Bakura and go out with him!"

"Two guys at once?! I don't know if she's lucky or just a tramp."

"I didn't think Izzy was that kind."

"Maybe he's just going to confess his love."

"Or make it!"

"That's enough!" Alyssa yelled over the teasing laughter. "I'm assuming none of you are serious, but just in case you are, let me tell you, nothing is going to happen! We all know Izzy isn't like that so shut up!"

"Alyssa..." Izzy started gratefully.

"Besides, Atem-senpai is probably a robot and thus incapable of human affection." Alyssa shrugged. "But, just to make absolutely sure nothing happens, I'll be going too!"

"When did we decide that?" Izzy asked, unimpressed.

"You should be happy your friend is so concerned about your well being and honour!" Alyssa grinned back.

"Oh, shut up, you just want to see what he wants!"

"Pretty much."

Izzy couldn't help but laugh. "I missed you. I did."

"Me too." Alyssa answered. "I decided that I don't ever want a guy to come between us, okay?"

"Alright." Izzy smiled back.

"Oi, Hako-chan..." Hachiro said, ambling over. "Can I talk to you?"

"You pretty much already are."

Izzy got to her feet. "It's alright, I'll move. I need to check the cleaning duties rota anyway." She moved to the front of the room. It only took her a second to confirm that, as she suspected, she was down for after school cleaning the next day. However, it didn't look as if her friend was done talking, so she flipped idly through it and tried to not watch them and failed utterly. Hachiro looked unusually serious, though Alyssa didn't. It was times like this that she understood despite the fact they argued so much, they really did view each other as almost related. She sometimes wondered, if Marik hadn't been on the scene or Hachiro so obviously in love with the class president, there wouldn't have been something between them. Then she had to stop herself laughing. They were just too similar, they would never had loved one another like that. Finally, Hachiro shook his head, ruffled Alyssa's hair, and returned to his own seat. Izzy wandered over.

"What was that all about?" She asked, curious.

"He just wanted to check I was okay about your date with Atem." Alyssa answered, trying in vain to flatten her hair again. "He figured we weren't actually dating but he wondered if there was something between us." She rolled her eyes at the idea, but otherwise didn't seem particularly bothered. Still, something shifted slightly guiltily at the idea.

"So what did you tell him?"

"That as long as he kept up the child maintenance payments I couldn't care what else Atem did."

"Alyssa!" Izzy tried to scold, but couldn't help laughing. Alyssa joined in too, chuckling slightly. Then she grew suddenly serious.

"But... do you know what you're doing? What if Bakura takes it the wrong way?"

Izzy wanted to scream at Alyssa that she couldn't care less what Bakura thought and would be glad of any reason to break up with him, if it wasn't for the harassment he would then give Alyssa. But she couldn't say that, so she simply shrugged. Alyssa looked worried and- or was it her imagination- a little disappointed. She felt guilt twist her gut again. What if she had been wrong all along? It was too much to bear. She would have to ask.

"Um... Alyssa... There really _isn't _anything between you and Atem-senpai, right? You don't... like him, do you?"

Alyssa blinked at her and then laughed for ten minutes solidly until the teacher arrived, which Izzy took to mean 'no'.

And so it was that after school that day the two of them headed for North building.

"Hey," Izzy asked, grabbing her friend for about the fifteenth time as Alyssa slid on the last of the ice. It had been a bad winter. "Are we even allowed in the boy's blocks?"

"As long as a teacher isn't around, yeah."

"Doesn't that mean no?!"

"Izzy, would you stop fussing?" Alyssa answered, pushing the door to North block open and stepping into the warmth with a grateful sigh. Even the short walk from the school to the dorm was enough to freeze the blood in your veins. Izzy followed, and turned to face N001.

"Are you going to knock the door?" Alyssa asked, and when Izzy didn't move, banged on the door herself. "Yo, Atem-senpai, open the door! We're here!"

Atem did just that and glared down at her. "And who invited you?"

"Izzy did." Alyssa lied cheerfully, forcing her way into the room. "She was worried you were going to do something untoward. Wow, this room is in a sucky position. Hey, fishy!"

"...I didn't." Izzy sighed.

"I guessed." Atem answered, exasperated, waving her in. He was wondering if he could just claim the fish was his and think of some other story as to why he wanted her to come over. He was beginning to think it was a stupid idea and it was too embarrassing to give it to her in front of Alyssa. However, the two of them were now looking at the fish in apparent delight and he knew he couldn't deprive her.

"It's for you, Izzy." He said, gruffly, interrupting Alyssa telling a joke about two fish in a tank.

"Huh?" Izzy blinked.

"The fish. I never got you a return gift at Christmas and your last one didn't last long, so..."

"Really?" She smiled. "Atem-senpai, you really didn't have to..."

"Yes he did, it's only polite." Alyssa teased. "So, where's _my _return gift?"

"Hmm, let's see, I think I left it on the top of Mount Fuji, better go get it."

Not easily offended, Alyssa just laughed and focused her attention on Atem's book collection while the grown-ups were talking.

"Thank you." Izzy said happily. "I can't believe it! I always wanted a fish, but... you really didn't have to go to all the trouble. Are you sure you don't want to keep it?"

"No, I want you to have it." Atem replied. "I... want it to make you happy. I'm glad you like it."

"I am happy. Thanks so much..."

"Love is in the air," Alyssa sang suddenly. The other two jumped suddenly, guiltily, having almost forgotten she was there. "Everywhere I look around, love is in the air, every sight and every sound, and I don't know if I'm being foolish, don't know if I'm being wise, but it's something that I must believe in and it's there when I look in your eyes..."

She looked all set to sing the entire song, but thankfully Atem had regained movement and hauled her up by her collar, dragging her towards the door.

"Out. Now."

"Aww, don't you like that one? I could sing something else. How about-?"

Her suggestion was interrupted by the door slamming shut on her. For a moment they could hear her laughing to herself, but then it faded as she went on ahead.

"Sorry." Izzy said, blushing. "You know how Alyssa is."

"Trust me, I do." He agreed, suddenly unable to look at her. He watched the goldfish instead. "What're you going to call it?" He asked, to fill the silence.

"Sukui." Izzy answered immediately. "It's what I was going to call the other one."

"Original."

"I thought so." She made her way across the room, picking up the tank. Being only for one fish, it was small, but it was still quite heavy. "Well, thanks again, I love it. I'll... see you tomorrow..."

She got as far as his door before he spoke.

"Izzy, when are you going to break up with Bakura?"

Izzy looked away. "Thanks for this. I'll see you tomorrow."

She left without answering his question. Atem let her go without forcing the issue, though he felt as if he should have done. Alyssa would later tell him he should have just kissed her then. But he didn't. Nothing had changed, really.

* * *

Atem had been wrong, his train of thought too pessimistic. Over the next few days, it became evident that something had changed. It was only small, but Bakura was around less and less, and Atem, Izzy and Alyssa together more and more. Marik they didn't see much of, although Alyssa reported the council was snowed under with early preparation for the end of year ceremonies coming up in March. She always seemed a little sad to speak of it, probably because Marik would be graduating. Still, she threw herself into the work, and they began to see less of her too. Still, it didn't matter. They had each other. Izzy was just glad to see that Atem was not alone any more.

She was not the only one to notice it. Marik was _trying _not to be suspicious, but really, Atem seemed to be with Izzy every waking moment. He hardly ever saw the two of them in the company of their respective partners any more. And Alyssa had seemed unusually down in the dumps since they had begun working on the budget for the graduation celebrations. He desperately longed to ask if something had happened, but stayed his tongue, not wanting her to be uncomfortable.

One day, however, Bakura came to see him.

"What do you want?" Marik demanded, coming out of the council office and shutting the door so Alyssa, who was still gathering her things, wouldn't see him.

"I need your help." Bakura said, quietly, and something in his tone made Marik stop. He had never heard Bakura sound like this before. It was almost like he meant it.

"Yeah?" He said, warily.

"I... I'm worried about Izzy. She spends all her time with Atem. I think he's trying to steal her from me."

"What? Are you sure?"

"You must have seen them!"

"Yes, but... what about Alyssa?"

Bakura shrugged. "Guess he doesn't care."

Marik felt rage surge through him. How dare Atem behave in such a way? Whatever they may have thought of him, Izzy _did _have a boyfriend. And what about Alyssa? She deserved someone so much better. He gritted his teeth. "And what am I supposed to do about it?" He asked.

"I just want to keep him away from her."

Just then Alyssa opened the door and saw Marik and Bakura standing there. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Nothing." Marik replied, wondering if he should tell her. But she wasn't blind, she must have noticed how much Izzy and Atem were together, and what was the use in upsetting her? The last thing he wanted was to see her being hurt. Screw Izzy, she knew what she was doing. He was going to do his best to keep Alyssa away from Atem, starting right now. "Let's go." He said. "I pass right by the dormitories on my way home, let's go together."

If Alyssa thought anything of this, it was only that he was trying to keep her away from Bakura. She never suspected he was trying to keep her from meeting Atem.

However, over the next few days, no-one could fail to notice his strange behaviour. On the one hand he was around a lot more often, but he was in a really bad mood the whole time. He barely spoke more than two words to Izzy or Atem, all but ignoring them. Moreover, he seemed to be out to completely dominate Alyssa's time, either interrupting her conversations with Atem or finding a reason to take Alyssa off elsewhere, normally to council duties. Even Alyssa was eventually getting fed up of it.

"Marik-senpai." She said, finally. "What's the matter? You've been acting really weird."

"Have I?" He asked, innocently. "Nothing's the matter."

"Liar." Alyssa said. "You're acting like Izzy and Atem are criminals. Whatever's the matter, please stop taking it out on them."

"He's probably just jealous." Atem said, in irritation. "Because he l-"

"Atem-senpai, don't provoke him." Izzy interrupted, hastily. "Though I admit, I'd like to know what I've done." Marik snorted at that.

"Guys..." Alyssa tried. "We've only just all started hanging out again. Don't start fighting already."

"Fine..."

"I have to go anyway." Marik said. "I promised to meet someone. Sorry if I seem like I've been in a bad mood. Bye." With that, he left in a hurry. Alyssa turned to Izzy.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing!"

"Marik-senpai isn't the kind to get mad for no reason; you _must _have done something."

"I don't know, ask him." Izzy was slightly annoyed. She would assume she was in the wrong rather than her precious Marik-senpai, of course.

"I think I will." Alyssa sighed.

However, all her attempts proved to be fruitless. He always found a way to avoid her questions without ever answering them. It seemed whatever Izzy had done to upset him, Marik didn't want to talk about it. Maybe he didn't trust her after all.

* * *

Alyssa wasn't the only one wanting to know what Marik's problem was. Atem and Izzy had a few questions of their own and one day went to get some answers. To their surprise, away from Alyssa's presence, his coolness changed to all out hostility. It was as if they had done something terrible. It was unusual to see it pouring out of someone who was normally so friendly. Izzy was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they had done something unintentionally, or there had been some sort of misunderstanding. Either way, it was surely something they could talk out like adults.

Unfortunately, Atem got there first.

"Do you have a problem?" He demanded, subtle as always, folding his arms. Marik glared back.

"I'm not looking for a fight." He answered, after a considerable pause.

"Neither are we." Izzy said, looking pointedly at Atem. "I just want to know what I've done to upset you."

"You know what you've done." Marik said, quietly. "You're lucky it's only me that's angry."

"But I don't know what I've done!" Izzy protested.

"You haven't done anything." Atem reassured her, not taking his eyes off Marik.

"Ha." Marik turned to face him. "I'm only going to say this once, Atem-kun. Stay away from Izzy-chan."

With that, he pushed past them and left. Izzy looked at Atem in confusion, trying to work out what on earth was going on. Had she done something to mean Atem should stay away from her? Or had he? What did Marik know what she didn't?

"What is he talking about?"

"How should I know?" Atem replied, gruffly, but the fact was, he did have an idea. It seemed Marik had worked out his secret. Izzy's good luck could surely only hold out for so long. If she stayed around him for much longer, she would surely be consumed by her own inner darkness. How had Marik known that? Or had he? Was he just being paranoid, allowing himself to focus on his worst fears? Maybe Marik was right. Maybe he should stay away from Izzy.

But as she stood next to him, worrying about what she might have done and wondering whether she should go after Marik, he suddenly realised that would be a lot easier said than done. There had been a time when he did not want her company. Now he could not imagine being without it. He suddenly realised he could not stand to be without her.

* * *

**_A/N (Waffles4eva): I feel as if I'm being a little mean to Marik, what is he supposed to think, especially with Bakura fuelling his suspicions? If only he'd just __ask _Atem if he was dating Alyssa, everything would be fine. XD As for Atem, he should just confess his feelings to Izzy too, punch Bakura in the face and ride off on aforementioned white horse. I've seen the Memory Arc, I know he can! As long as he doesn't wear the stupid head gear. Isn't his hair spikey enough?!**

**A/N (scooby2408): Come on Marik, it's Bakura for crying out loud. He has a big neon sign pointing at his head saying: 'DO NOT TRUST ME!' Seriously will these people never learn!!!! At least some of the 'somewhat fluff' made up for it in this episode. Thanks for reading and I'll leave you with the preview for the next episode:**

**"Next time - ah, Izzy, you look mad! I swear, I didn't do anything!" **

"I can't believe what's happening next! It's ridiculous!"

**"So you actually read it in advance for once?"**

"I don't like being out of the loop."

**"Hmmm.... I think you just wanted to see if Atem-senpai confesses to you!"**

"I did not!!"

**"Oh good, because he doesn't."**

"Alyssa, no spoliers!!"

_"At least now she's mad at her and not me..."_

**"Hey!"**

Just do the preview... Wait, why aren't you mad?"

**"I'm saving all my anger for next time! Anyway... I thought it was kinda... Cool. Eheheh... next time , Over the Rainbow Episode Eight: Envy - The Dangers of Emotion!"**

"I'm still mad..."


	8. Envy

**A/N: Welcome back! This time emotions are running high in Over the Rainbow.  
**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

* * *

Episode Eight: Envy- The Dangers of Emotion!

Izzy crumbled some fish food between her fingers, watching as Sukui swam upwards eagerly to eat the powder. The fish was looking as healthy as ever, though Alyssa would argue it was because Izzy was constantly caring for it, often unnecessarily. However, Izzy couldn't escape the fact it was already February. She wondered if there was anyway she'd be able to get a fish home and sincerely doubted it. Hopefully Alyssa would take care of him for her. She sighed. It was a shame, she wanted to keep it.

She couldn't help but wonder what Atem had meant by giving it to her, however. Alyssa had seemed to think Atem loved her, but that wasn't possible, was it? After all, Atem had hated her at first, they had only relatively recently become friends. Besides, she did have a boyfriend; even if Atem knew the real reason why surely he wouldn't encourage her to cheat.

Unless that was exactly what he was doing, to get back at Bakura.

Izzy pushed that thought away immediately. Atem wasn't like that. Besides, he knew Bakura didn't really love her either, so it wasn't like he'd be jealous. Although, she thought uncomfortably, she still hadn't worked out _what _Bakura was getting out of being with her if he didn't like her. There was that rumor doing the rounds that his last girlfriend had been British too. Perhaps he just missed her and Izzy reminded him of her. She wondered vaguely if there was any way the two of them could get back together. Perhaps then Bakura would behave himself.

However, she soon pushed that idea away too. What was it Alyssa had told her all those months ago?

_"__You just can't help but interfere! You see something that doesn't match up to your standards and you just have to _fix_it! Only you don't, you just annoy everyone and make things worse!"_

_"It's better than doing nothing!" Izzy yelled back, turning towards the door to E203. _

_"It is not!" Alyssa thundered as she opened the door to E204. "You should try it sometime!"_

The words may have been said in anger, but perhaps there was some truth in them. Doing nothing could perhaps be the only way forward at this point. Bakura could sort out his own messes. Although she had hardly 'done nothing' about the way he was treating Alyssa. Was Atem right, was she really 'selling herself'? Then again, so what if she was? It wasn't like they were even doing anything except spending time together. He'd sometimes kiss her when people were watching, but that was all. Nowadays they were hardly even seeing each other. She felt some hope blossoming in her heart. Maybe he was giving up, maybe he was done with all of them. Anyway, even if she _was _selling herself, what was wrong with that? He hadn't bothered Alyssa at all since they had been together and her friend seemed a lot happier- except when Marik was acting so strange. Izzy wished one of them would just confess their feelings so they could get on with dating each other. Maybe now that Bakura was dealt with it was time to resume her matchmaking attempts...

Just then there was a knock at her door, and a moment later Alyssa's head followed.

"Hey," She said. "What are you doing? I got all the way to school and you weren't there so I had to come all the way back and make sure you weren't sick."

"I was just feeding Sukui."

"I walked all the way back for no reason? Geez, thanks a lot."

"It's like a minute down the road." Izzy snorted, but realising the time, grabbed her bag and headed for the door to her room anyway. "Stop moaning."

"...Bakura's not meeting you this morning, right?"

"Unless he's waiting for me downstairs, I'd guess not." Izzy shrugged, trying not to be too happy about it.

"Good," Alyssa replied as they headed down the stairs and towards the doors of East block. "We can walk together again, we haven't for ages."

As the door opened, however, the girls realised they weren't alone. Marik and Atem stood just in front of the building, glaring at each other.

"Um... what's going on?" Alyssa asked.

"I saw you heading back from school and that Izzy hadn't come in yet, I wanted to make sure nothing had happened." Atem answered.

"Oh, no, I just-"

"We're going to be late." Marik interrupted, grabbing her arm and dragging her away. "Alyssa-chan, come on, we have to go."

"Hey, Marik-senpai! What're you…?!"

Izzy and Atem watched as she was dragged away.

"Looks like whatever was bothering him is still bothering him." Izzy sighed. "Why is he acting so crazy?"

"I think he's jealous." The irritation in Atem's voice was clearly heard. "Really, if he wants to dominate her time, he should just ask her out. This is just childish."

"Yeah…" Izzy nodded. "But I'm not sure that's all of it. He liked her before, but he wasn't like this."

"Well, I really don't care." Atem dismissed. "He can do whatever he wants, I can't be bothered to deal with him. Let's just go, before we're late."

"Right!" Izzy agreed. "…Thanks for coming to check on me."

Atem said nothing.

Meanwhile, Alyssa was getting more and more bemused. She pulled her arm out of Marik's grip and he turned to look at her.

"…What's happened?" She asked, worried. "You're acting so strangely. Did Atem-senpai or Izzy do something to you? I'm sure they didn't mean to. Or Bakura? He probably would. Has someone said something? You're really starting to worry me."

Marik couldn't help it, there was some small part of him so happy that she cared enough to worry about him that he wanted to make something up so she would carry on thinking about him. He repressed the impulse, however, and said instead that nothing was wrong and he was sorry to worry her.

"Then stop acting like such a nutcase." She sighed, clearly not entirely believing him, but not pushing him.

"…How are things going with Atem-kun?" He asked, quietly.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing." He said, hastily, and quickened his pace. Alyssa followed, more worried than before. It had almost sounded as if he'd said something about Atem.

* * *

They were into February and Bakura's plan seemed to be entering its final stages. He was still seeing Izzy, just often enough that she didn't get suspicious. The rest of the time she was with Atem, sometimes with Alyssa and Marik, but as the latter kept dragging the former off, often enough alone. People were starting to talk, but Izzy at least was popular enough that no-one was seriously suggesting anything underhand. If they were the general opinion was that she would be better off with _anyone _other than Bakura, so she wasn't being condemned. Bakura, although little else could be said of him, was smart. He knew if he tried to trash Atem's good name he would be ignored, but that Atem was not untouchable.

That's why he had an unwitting helper. It hadn't escaped his attention how Marik felt about his follow treasurer, it had been obvious to him the moment she had fallen into him in the doorway on the day they caught him robbing the student treasury. Obvious from the way he held onto her, ready to push her out of the way at a moment's notice, in case Bakura lunged at her again. Marik was clearly a hopeless romantic and the direction of his feelings were obvious. When Bakura had separated Izzy from her group he hadn't anticipated the rumors about Alyssa and Atem, but now he saw how to their advantage they were. Marik was noble and fancied himself enough in love to leave Atem and Alyssa alone, as long as she was happy. But if she was _not_, if Atem was cheating on her or trying to steal someone else's girlfriend, it was surely only a matter of time before in defense of his love Marik would confront him. Bakura's only concern was that given Marik's regard for decency he would try to have this confrontation somewhere private, but given luck he should do it somewhere nice and public. That could surely be arranged. A bomb can go off anywhere as long as it was triggered at the right time. Once provoked correctly, surely Marik would explode somewhere nice and public. Everyone would hear the accusations and the argument as they talked, and this would be so unusual from Marik, friendly, quiet, model student Marik who never had a bad word to say about anyone, that everyone would believe him. Atem could try to defend himself, but he had kept himself virtually isolated, he was seen as cold and arrogant, who would believe him over Marik? Even the girls that supposedly loved Atem would turn against him, because fangirls loved drama. Atem's name would be irreparably ruined, and he hadn't even done anything. He would know how it felt to be looked down upon by the whole school for just being caught out once. Atem had outsmarted him that day, but Bakura had been manipulating him ever since that English girl had arrived and Atem had danced like a puppet. Oh, there was no game more fun than this.

Perhaps it was time Marik went off. He just needed to find out how to orchestrate it to optimum effect.

* * *

"Pick up two."

"Pick up four."

"Pick up six."

"Eight."

"Nope- Blackjack! Pick up thirteen!"

"Blackjack, so that's eighteen for you, Izzy."

"Red jack."

There was a collective groan.

"Izzy, you're no fun." Alyssa whined.

"I'm just playing the game." Izzy sighed back. It was morning break, and Alyssa, Honeka and Junko had invited her to study for finals with them. This had somehow manifested itself into a highly competitive game of blackjack with somewhat ambiguous rules.

"Hit me."

"Class rep, we're not playing pontoon, just draw the card!"

"Fine, then I'll stick!"

"That's still pontoon!"

"My phone calls it blackjack!"

"Does not!"

"It does!"

"Prove it!"

"Fine!"

Izzy chuckled slightly to herself and gazed around the classroom as she waited for the others to explain to the class rep yet again how to play. To her surprise, Atem was entering. Before he could say anything, however, Alyssa noticed him.

"Yo, Atem-senpai, the game's blackjack, pull up a chair!"

"Actually, I just-"

"Queen to reverse, eight is miss a turn, aces are wild, one for blunder. Izzy, deal us in."

Izzy picked up the cards and began to shuffle as Atem reluctantly pulled a seat up next to her and the others teased Alyssa for sounding like a poker player.

"I need to talk to you." Atem said quietly to Izzy, under the noise.

"What about?" Izzy asked, worried.

"Can you meet me in the fourth floor corridor at the end of lunch?" Atem persisted. "I want to tell you something."

"Alright…" Izzy said, nervously, beginning to deal.

Marik, who had followed Atem down to 2A's classroom, thinking he was going to see Alyssa and worried he wasn't, saw his fears come to pass. Atem wasn't even trying to pay attention to his girlfriend, whispering to Izzy instead. His audacity and immorality was more than Marik would ever have believed of him after he had helped them so much the previous year. Although, maybe he really had liked Alyssa then. Even so, that was then and this was now and it was time to get Alyssa out of there before she noticed what was happening.

"Alyssa-chan." He called, walking in. "Sorry to interrupt, but could you come up to the council room? I got the figures back from the caterers, but it's more than I thought…"

"Oh, sure." Alyssa got to her feet. "Sorry guys." She said to her complaining friends. "But hey, at least now you'll have a chance to actually win."

"Council duties again?" Izzy asked, a little suspicious. "We hardly see the two of you anymore!"

"Graduation's coming up." Atem said, bluntly, clearly just wanting to get rid of Marik. The look of sadness that crossed over Alyssa's face was obvious too.

"Yeah…" She said, forcing a smile, and roughly ruffling Atem's hair. "Go easy on him, okay ladies?"

With that she left and Atem won fourteen hands of blackjack very quickly. It would be interesting to know who would win in a game between him and Alyssa, the current class champ. The others talked about this as they played, speculating, but Izzy withdrew into her own thoughts, wondering what on earth Atem wanted to talk about.

"What is it?" He asked, seeing her looking at him.

"Nothing!" She said hastily. "I just wondered how you keep winning. You'd better not be cheating!"

"I'm not."

"Dumb luck?"

"Skill." He smirked. "Maybe I'm just good at card games."

* * *

Alyssa went through the calculations without really focusing on them. There was a part of her that wished she could just deliberately make a serious mistake, so serious the graduation ceremony couldn't go ahead. But Marik would still leave, and it would just ruin it for all the third years. There wasn't much happening, really, a ceremony where awards would be given and then a party in the evening. Exam results wouldn't come out till a few weeks later, so many of the third years would be staying on in the school dorms anyway until they knew which college they could go to; Atem included. Marik, however, lived off campus. After the graduation ceremony, she'd probably never see him again. She might not even see him on graduation day, only the third years went to the ceremony. The thought was unbearable. She tried not to dwell on it, knew she was being pathetic, but it was so hard not to cry.

Marik, who was keeping a close eye on her nowadays, knew she was fighting tears and didn't know what to do. Should he offer comfort or leave her be? She obviously didn't want him to see her crying. Probably she didn't want to talk about what Atem and Izzy were doing, though she must have been aware of it. He himself was swinging between upset at seeing her upset and anger that they had upset her. He would have to do something, but what? In spite of his feelings, something inside him repelled the idea of telling anyone they couldn't be friends for any reason. He suspected they may be more than that, or at least want to be, but until they did something, what could he really do?

But it wasn't fair of them, to toy with her emotions like this.

"Alyssa-chan," he said, tentatively. "Is everything okay?"

"Ah! Yes! I'm fine!" She lied unconvincingly. Then something occurred to her. "I was just a little sad that graduation is so soon and y- all the third years will be leaving."

"Oh… yes, it's a little sad." Marik answered, privately disappointed she didn't want to open up to him about what he knew to be the real reason.

"Is that why you've been acting so weird?" Alyssa asked, sure she was on to something.

"N-no, I… I haven't been acting weird."

"If you say so." Alyssa sighed, privately disappointed he didn't want to open up to her about it.

The two resumed their work without another word passing between them.

* * *

Lunchtime. Izzy hadn't eaten much, partly because ten minutes in Alyssa had been forced to dash off to the Student Council yet again and she was alone, but mostly because she was wondering about what Atem could have to tell her. He had seemed far too serious for it just to be a confession of love, not that she thought it would be. She just hoped nothing was wrong, and headed up to the fourth floor corridor. It was deserted, the student council room at one end had its door securely shut. It didn't get much more private than this in such a big school. She hoped it was nothing too bad.

Atem, meanwhile, had come to decide he had to tell her. Izzy had to know, and he needed to know what she knew. It was time. He headed up to the corridor and saw her standing there. He doubted himself for a moment, but pushed all his hesitation aside and walked over to her.

"Izzy."

"Hi." She answered. "Are you okay?"

"…I'm not sure." He admitted, honestly. "There's something… wrong with me. I'm not normal."

"Define normal." Izzy replied, when he fell silent. "I mean, have you met Alyssa?"

"No, Izzy." He persisted, not laughing. "I… see things other people can't. I can see the darkness of people's hearts."

"What?"

"And that darkness reacts to me." He continued desperately. "I can't control it. When I get close, the shadows grow, the person is consumed, then they're not the same, they're evil or twisted or-"

"I'm sorry." Izzy said, interrupting. "I think my Japanese must not be too good, I think I'm misunderstanding. Do you mean you bring out the worst in people? I mean, I think we all do that at times, so-"

"No!" Atem snapped. "I mean it _literally_! The evil in people's hearts multiplies when I'm around! I have some sort of power over these shadows, but I… I don't know how to control them and…"

"Like…" Izzy began, but didn't finish.

"Some people, it happens naturally, if something bad happens to them or they're just sadistic. I can hardly see Bakura, he has so much darkness around him. But… but you… you're different. You're like me."

"I can't see anything like that." Izzy said, hastily, not sure if she believed or even understood him properly.

"I know, but…" He swallowed. "I think they react to you, like me, except they deplete."

"What?"

"No, not deplete…" He frowned, looking for the words. "It's like you freeze them, pacify them. They don't grow when you're around, no matter what happens, even when I'm around."

"What are you talking about?" Izzy asked again, completely at a loss.

"Don't you think it's strange?" Atem persisted. "Look at everything that's happened to Alyssa, she's not bitter about it at all."

"That's just because she's-"

"Fine, then what about Marik? As soon as he spends less time with you, look what's happened! His jealousy is getting the better of him!"

"Yes, but-!"

"And me! You've changed me as no-one else could!" He shouted. "Why won't you just accept you make people happy?! You bring out the best in people! We're better under your influence!"

"…You're making me sound perfect or something." Izzy said, a little freaked out by this conversation.

"You're not." He dismissed, not even pretending to think about it. "You're stubborn and pushy and a little annoying sometimes. But you make people feel good about themselves and then they can fight their own issues. I just make things worse."

"No, you don't." Izzy said, quietly, as he sank to the floor in depression. "Is this really what you think? Is this why you distance yourself from people?"

"Please." He said, quietly. "I know it sounds insane, but it's true. You have to believe me."

"…I believe what you said about the shadows." She said, after a long pause, sitting down next to him. "I think. I'm trying to, anyway. But I don't understand. Why do you think that means you make things worse?"

He stared at her. "Don't you get it? The shadows consume them because of me. I'm the reason they become people they don't want to be, horrible people, people that even hate themselves."

"That's not true." She denied. "That's not true! I've found plenty to like about myself because of you!"

"What?"

"You've shown me I can do things, and you've just paid me such nice compliments, it makes me happy." She said, smiling. "And as for making things worse, that's a load of rubbish. When I was off with Bakura, I'm sure Alyssa would have been worse off and on her own if it wasn't for you. That's if she hadn't been expelled last year for robbing from the treasury. Everyone would still hate her and Marik, and the two of them would have ended up blaming the other eventually. And what about everything you've done for us since? You're a kind person with a big heart, Atem, and if there's something that you can't control than it's not your fault!"

He looked up at her, but said nothing, could say nothing. She was just trying to make him feel better. But then again, he hadn't ever thought about those things. He had only ever seen the things he made worse and blamed himself. He should know how to control it, or he should live as a hermit.

But maybe he couldn't live like that.

No, of course he could, he was just being selfish. He had to-

Izzy suddenly hugged him and all thoughts flew from his mind.

"It's alright." She said. "This is all… pretty amazing. If what you say is true, it means you're an amazing person, Atem, superhuman; and I'm sure you can do whatever you do for a reason even if you haven't found it yet. We all do bad things by accident. We just have to accept we can't be perfect and move on. It's okay to be a little selfish. You can't just live your life in guilt if it's something you didn't want to do and can't do anything about. Just do what you can, try to control it, and if you fail, it's okay. You did your best. It's okay, really. It's alright. Everything is alright."

Atem said nothing, but her words were having a strange affect on him. To his great surprise, he realised he was crying. It was a new experience for him, crying, silently shedding tears. He didn't know if it was from relief or realisation or just at all the things that were wrong in the world and everything that had happened. Yet, yes, those were his tears, falling slowly from his eyes and mixing into Izzy's hair. She didn't pull away. She was too nice. He knew he would never have her.

From the other end of the corridor, Bakura had been watching. Too far away to hear what had been said, he none the less saw them embracing. Perhaps Atem had confessed. When he had seen Izzy moving away from the canteen, he had known something was up and had tracked her here. He cursed to himself. If only this scene had happened in the canteen, he could have introduced Marik to it and everything would have gone to plan. Come to think of it, they were dangerously close to the student council room. If Marik stumbled on the scene now, the chances were no-one would hear what had happened and Atem's reputation would live on. He cursed. This could ruin everything. He began to creep towards the club room, hoping to find a way to lock or block the door, but it was too late.

Marik walked out into the corridor, greeted by the sight of Atem's back and Izzy's arms around him as they held one another close. Right where Alyssa could see them at any moment.

"You...!" He started, running towards them, but said nothing further, hauling Atem away from Izzy and punching him in the face. Atem stumbled, and Marik hit him again. "What do you think you're doing?!" He demanded, furiously, as Atem fell to the floor. "What are you trying to pull?"

"Marik-senpai, stop it!" Izzy said, shrilly. "Atem, no!"

Atem, naturally, was not taking this lying down and an all out fight was now taking place. Izzy was not the only one horrified. Bakura, too, was watching his plans go up in smoke. Marik was supposed to keep the moral high ground, now he had apparently set on someone for no reason _he _would be the one discredited and Atem would get the status of victim. Marik had never hit anyone in his life, why did he have to start now and not stop? This was not going according to plan.

Especially not when a teacher from a nearby classroom heard the ruckus and appeared on the scene. Hauling Marik off Atem, who didn't lower his arms from the defensive position they'd been in, he looked at them furiously.

"Marik Ishtar!" he thundered. "I don't care _what _happened, you do _not _fight on school premises! I expected better of you! Come to the principal's office right now! You," He pointed at Atem. "Wait here, I'll want to talk to you."

"Yes sir." Atem said reluctantly, wiping blood from his lip and glaring back at Marik, determined not to drop his gaze. Finally, Marik turned around and walked away with the teacher without saying a word.

As they passed the student council room, Alyssa appeared, looking alarmed.

"What happened?" She asked.

No-one replied and Marik did not even look at her as he passed. He couldn't.

* * *

_**A/N (Waffles4eva):Of all the people to get in a punch up, it had to be the two most mild-mannered. Because OOC is the way I roll. ;-D Actually, my favourite moment here was the card game. It was worryingly accurate to how I spent most of college. Scooby never really played, but when she did, she'd avoid everything. **_

**A/N (scooby2408):.. And so the many truths come out... well some of them at least... Thanks for reading and we'll have to see what else come out in the next episode of Over the Rainbow!!**

** "You have to do something!**"

"Alyssa, can't this wait until after we've done the preview?"

**"No! Marik gets suspended, it's not fair!!I'm not doing the next episode if that happens! I'll go on strike!!"**

"That's not all that happens."

**"Huh?"**

"That's not all that happens. Did you read past the first page of the next episode script?"

**"Well... no... what happens?!"**

"Not telling."

**"Ehhh?Why not?!"**

"Because we can't have spoilers in the preview."

**"But then we won't be telling them anything!"**

"That's the point. Look, if you really want to know, look at the **next episode title..."**

**"Okay... Next time on Over the Rainbow, Episode Nine:Finalé - Three Cheers for the Stupid Couple! Wait, what? What's that supposed to mean?!"**

"It's the Penultimate episode, join us next time!"

**"What's going on?!"**


	9. Finalé Part One

**A/N: Welcome back. We're at the penultimate episode and things are starting to draw to a close.**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

* * *

Episode Nine- Finale: Three Cheers for the Stupid Couple!

_"Haruko-chan! Wait up!"_

_A sixth month transfer to England had seemed to Alyssa to have taken no time at all, and yet it seemed as if she had been gone for a very long time. Now it was time to explore the school's halls again, rediscovering the now unfamiliar places. She'd miss Izzy and she'd miss England, but Japan had always been her home and it was good to be back. Laughing at her friend's fussing and the sheer joy of it, she continued running, rounded a corner, and knocked straight into someone. She fell backwards, and ended up sprawled on the floor._

_It was from this position that Alyssa first met Marik, as he regained his balance and crouched down next to her. His skin was tanned and his hair effortlessly long, but the thing that she noticed was his eyes. They were expressive eyes, and full of concern for a stranger whose own clumsiness had caused this situation._

_"Are you alright?" He asked, pulling her up into a sitting position. "I'm sorry. Did you hit your head? Do you want me to fetch the nurse?"_

_"I'm fine." She answered. "It was my fault, sorry to whack into you like that."_

_"That's alright, a bit of drama keeps life exciting." He joked, pulling her upright. "No harm done."_

_"Sorry." She said again._

_"Think nothing of it, really." He smiled, and continued on his way. Alyssa watched him leave._

_"Who was that?" She asked her friend, who couldn't stop laughing._

_"Marik Ishtar, he transferred while you were in England. He's in the climbing club, but I think he's trying for a place on the student council too. I've never spoken to him, but I heard he's okay."_

_"Right..."_

_Did Alyssa fall in love with him then? No. She had never believed in love at first sight. She was just curious. Something about him made her want to know more about him. So did she know then that she might fall in love with him? Probably some small voice in the back of her mind said so, a small voice she would refuse to acknowledge._

* * *

Izzy and Atem sat at a lunch table in silence. Atem still had a black eye and wasn't in the best of moods after his punch up the day before. Izzy, not sure what to say that wouldn't get her head bitten off, said nothing. Bakura was nowhere to be seen. The atmosphere was oppressive.

Alyssa seemed to come from nowhere, slamming her hands down on the table between them in frustration.

"Atem-senpai, what did you _do_?" She demanded, slumping into a seat. "I just found out Marik-senpai's been suspended for a week!"

"He's been suspended," Atem said, coolly "Because he attacked me, not because of anything I did."

"So you keep telling me." She sighed. "But it's Marik-senpai! He wouldn't just hit you for no reason!"

"I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding." Izzy tried in vain.

"Yes, but I want to know what about!"

"Who knows?" Izzy said, hastily, because she had a feeling Atem would express his opinion at any moment. "I'm sure Marik-senpai will tell us when he gets back."

"He shouldn't be gone!" Alyssa responded, agitated. "He's never even had a detention! Why would he do this? Atem, what did you do?!"

"Nothing."

"If you didn't do anything, why did he beat you up?"

"Because of you." Atem snapped.

Izzy sighed and rested her head on her arms, waiting for the fallout. Atem had already informed her that he thought this was the cause, but she had hoped it wouldn't reach Alyssa prematurely.

"What? What did I do?"

"I think he was jealous that you were spending too much time with Izzy and I."

Alyssa stared. "That's stupid."

"Tell him that."

"No, I'm telling you! That wasn't it!"

"How do you know?"

She mouthed at him wordlessly. "B...because it's stupid!" She said, eventually. "He doesn't think of me like that!"

"Yes, he does." Atem said impatiently. Alyssa glared at him.

"He does." Izzy confirmed, helpfully, but looked away when the glare was transferred to her.

"I said that wasn't it!"

"Alyssa." Atem said calmly. "Fine, that isn't it. But what would you do if it _was_?"

She had no answer to that.

"I'm going to find him!" She declared suddenly, getting to her feet.

"What? Right now?" Izzy said in alarm.

"Yes right now!" Alyssa snapped back, striding away. "I want to know what happened and if he's okay!"

"But we still have afternoon classes!" Izzy protested, but to no avail.

"She's gone." Atem reported. "Hmmph. Maybe she'll get him to come apologise to me."

* * *

_"Hello there, can I help you?"_

_"Well, I heard you were still looking for another treasurer, so..."_

_"Oh, yes, we are. What's your name?"_

_"Trent Alyssa."_

_"...What?"_

_She sighed. "Call me Haruko."_

_"Hi, Haruko-chan. And what year are you in?"_

_"Oh... first."_

_"Ah, you see, we don't normally have first years on the council..."_

_"But I'll work really really hard! I won't let you down!"_

_"But..."_

_"You're not exactly overrun with volunteers." She pointed out. "Please?"_

_"...Alright, Haruko-chan, we'll give you a try. Come after school tomorrow."_

_"Yes! Thank you!"_

_Just then, the door opened and Marik entered. He almost hit her with it._

_"Ah, sorry." He started, then recognised her. "Oh, you're..."_

_"This is Trent A..Ali... Haruko-chan. She's going to start being a treasurer with you."_

_"Oh, wonderful!" He smiled. "I was hoping to go back to climbing club when I had more help. I'm sure we can work quicker together. I look forward to working with you!"_

_"Me too, please treat me kindly." Alyssa responded. _

_"Of course. I have a good feeling about our partnership, Trent-chan!"_

_She smiled back. She did too._

* * *

Izzy was looking for Bakura, something she had never done before. It was hardly a wise idea. But she was getting suspicious. She hardly saw him. If he no longer had an interest, she was quite happy to break up with him; provided that wouldn't mean he'd harass Alyssa again.

But even then... she was wondering if there wasn't a better way. Before, it hadn't mattered, she would stay with him if it would help her friends. Now, however, she had reasons to not want to be with him. Reasons that had been buried deep within her heart and were just now coming to the surface. Things that she wanted. If Alyssa could do it, surely she could.

Then again, Alyssa wasn't leaving in a month. Perhaps she could never have those things she wanted. She wasn't sure what to do; except to find Bakura. She was almost certain he was up to something. Just what could he be scheming?

She found him eventually, brooding in a corner somewhere in the corridors. She stood in front of him, hands on hips.

"Can I help you?" He sneered.

"Where have you been?" She demanded.

"Oh, I see you missed me." He said, moving closer to her, his voice coming out in a purr. "I'm very sorry." He cupped her face in his hand and raised it as if to kiss her, but feeling her stomach turn she pushed him away and stepped back.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked. "Why did you start dating me in exchange for leaving them alone?"

"Maybe I love you." He smirked insincerely.

Izzy glared silently for a moment, then asked abruptly: "What about your last girlfriend?"

His face suddenly set into a stony expression. "What about her?"

"I heard she was British too. What happened to her?"

"Why?" He growled.

"Because I want to know why you're doing this!"

"Helena has nothing to do with this!"

"Then why?!"

"It has nothing to do with her." He said again, teeth gritted.

"So what happened to her? Did she...die?"

"No." He snapped. "She just went home."

"Why?"

"Why?" He barked. "Why?! You think I did something?!"

"Pretty much, yeah." Izzy glared.

"All I ever did was give her the best." He said, bitterly.

"Is that why you stole?" Izzy asked, with sudden realisation. "Did you love her?"

"Shut up!" He roared, striking her across the face. Izzy fell back, shocked. "You never tire of asking questions, do you Izzy?" He sneered. "Don't you realise you'll get yourself hurt?"

"...I'm done." Izzy said quietly. "I'm done with you."

"Excuse me?"

"Consider yourself dumped." She said with satisfaction, refusing to raise a hand to her stinging cheek and walking away as she spoke. "I don't care what you do any more."

"And what about Alyssa?" He smirked. "If you break up with me, I'm free to do whatever I want to her. I think she's gotten a little cuter recently, it could be fun."

Izzy turned around, staring in surprise for a moment. Then, to his surprise, she drew back a fist and hit him as hard as she could in the face.

"Man, you're annoying." She grumbled, turning to leave again.

"Fine, go!" He bellowed after her, letting go of his aching nose. "I don't need you any more anyway! The damage has been done!"

"Damage?" She repeated. "What do you mean, damage?"

He smirked at her in delight, probably glad to finally be able to share his triumph with someone. "Things didn't go quite according to plan, but it was good enough."

"Plan? What plan?"

"Izzy, Izzy, Izzy." He shook his head, mocking her. "What did you think I was doing? It was hardly for the pleasure of your company. Or did you harbour some illusion I was seeking to be reminded of my old girlfriend just because you resemble her a little? Please, don't underestimate me."

"Then..."

"Yes, you could say it's my fault Marik-kun is now in his current predicament." He smiled. "Of course, I was more hoping for him to discredit Atem, but no matter. Marik is still miserable, convinced his," here he put on a simpering smile "One true love belongs to another, Alyssa is miserable because he has suddenly gone insane, and Atem will be altogether miserable because his new found friends are being torn asunder. And you... well, you'll be leaving and I won't have to worry about you anymore. But I really can't thank you enough. You don't know how easy you made it to destroy them."

"You-!" Izzy said, enraged.

"They destroyed me." Bakura hissed. "It's only fair. If they hadn't told the whole world that I was the one stealing, then she would still be here!"

"So it is about Helena."

He fell silent.

Izzy smiled slightly savagely, adding a mocking laugh. "You're wrong."

"What?"

"You're wrong! You failed, Bakura. Want to know why?" She leant in towards him and smirked. "Alyssa is on her way to see Marik-senpai right now, undoubtedly to confess her feelings. Once that's straightened out, Marik-senpai will apologise to Atem and they'll all go back to being friends. As for me... well, I won't have to worry about you anymore."

With that, she really did turn and walk away from him. It was time she visited the Principle. She had something to tell him.

* * *

_They were not content to leave her alone, though, Miamoto jostled her as he passed by, causing her to pitch forward and hit her face on the fountain. The water entered her mouth and nose, and she spluttered as she stood up._

_"Oh, I'm sorry!" Miamoto exclaimed._

_"Don't apologise to her." One of the girls sniffed. "She deserves it."_

_"This is the one who took the money." The second explained._

_"Really?" He frowned at her. "You know, you abused your classmates' trust. That money was meant for everyone to have fun together, and you've ruined that for all of them!"_

_"I didn't take the money!" Alyssa protested. "And I paid it back anyway!"_

_"You know," One of the girls scowled. "If you owned up and apologised, maybe no-one would care so much."_

_"Yeah." The second agreed. "Don't you feel bad at all? Everyone knows you took it, Haruko-chan. Just admit it!"_

_"Hey." A voice inturrupted from behind. "Don't talk to her like that. Nothing's been proved."_

_"Marik-senpai..." Alyssa wanted a hole to open in the ground and swallow her as Marik and more of the second years stopped to watch. She should have known Marik would appear. He had been keeping a close watch on her recently, after all. He didn't trust her at all. Yet, he was defending her. That gave her some small hope._

_"Well, it's not like you would have taken it." Miamoto shrugged. "It must have been her. She's just a lying thief."_

_"I told you not to speak to her like that." Marik answered, teeth gritted. Alyssa watched with a mixture of __embarrassment__ and interest. She had never seen Marik get angry. She wondered if he would now. "We don't know that she took it. It might have been an accident. You shouldn't just make blind accusations."_

_"He's right." Another voice, smooth, chipped in. Alyssa didn't know him by anything more than sight at the time, but she would come to recognise Bakura in time, as he tormented her. That day, however, he almost seemed to be on her side. "You shouldn't accuse poor little Haruko-chan. After all, you're a suspect too, aren't you, Marik?"_

_"...Right." Marik said, not quite trusting his classmate and disliking the slightly sinister time. "So there's no need to accuse anyone."_

_"Then again," Bakura shrugged. "You always seemed like a pretty decent guy. I don't think you'd take it. Besides, she looks pretty suspicious to me."_

_"Lay off." Marik answered, before Alyssa could say anything. _

_"Why not? I bet she's accusing you inside her head right now."_

_"Well..."_

_"I am not!" Alyssa exploded. "Marik-senpai wouldn't do that!"_

_"Trent-chan, it's okay, you don't need to-"_

_"No! I know you didn't take it, so you don't have to listen to him!"_

_"Hmm..." Bakura pondered. "Now what could this display of faith mean? It could be that you did take the money and don't want to see him get in trouble for it. But I think maybe your protest is to do more with your... feelings."_

_"W-what?!" Alyssa snapped, stammering. "It's not... I didn't..."_

* * *

Marik sighed and threw the ball again. It rebounded off the low ceiling and he caught it inches before his face, sending it back on the return journey. As it came back again, however, his sister put her head around the door in annoyance.

"Marik, would you stop that? It's making such a noise."

"Sorry." He sighed, rolling over on the bed. His sister, and legal guardian, walked into the room; frowning.

"You could at least spend the week doing something productive instead of sulking."

"It's meant to be a punishment. I'm meant to be bored and miserable." He snapped. She sighed, and he expected a follow-up on the bad tempered three hour lecture he had received the day before about his behaviour. Instead, she sat down on the bed next to him, back ram-rod straight as always, but it was a start.

"So why were you fighting, anyway?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"I assume this boy had done something unforgivable." She ventured. "I know my brother, and he doesn't pick fights for no reason- even if you have been unusually irritable recently."

"..."

"Was it over a _girl_?" She asked, teasingly. "Perhaps one Alyssa-chan?"

"Get out of my room!" Marik responded, eventually, and threw the ball at her. It seemed to be the only mature response. Chuckling to herself, his sister withdrew and left him alone with his thoughts. Annoyingly, these inevitably turned in Alyssa's direction. He hoped she was okay. Surely she could no longer fail to see what Atem and Izzy were up to...?

He felt the anger rise in him again. How could they do that to their friend? He couldn't care less if Bakura had his feelings hurt, but Alyssa didn't deserve it. Not only were Izzy and Atem blatantly embracing in the corridor, it was right where she would see them the moment she opened the door. It was like they didn't even care what they were doing. If they were so in love they absolutely _had _to be together, could they not at the very least not break up with their respective partners first?

For a moment, he had an image of Alyssa, tearful and distraught after a bad break up; but he would be there to comfort her. And maybe then she'd be so grateful to know who her real friends were, she would realise-

He pushed the fantasy aside. He was being absolutely absurd. He shouldn't be seeking his own personal benefit in Alyssa's upset. And she would be upset if she knew her boyfriend and best friend had been cheating on her. She would really need a friend to be there, a shoulder to cry on. And maybe then, to help her feel better, he could tell her not everyone would treat her like that, tell her how he felt, and then she'd look at him in surprise but say-

"Arrgh!" He yelled, throwing the ball at the wall in an attempt to stop himself. "Stop it, stop it, stop it! She doesn't love you!!"

"So it _is _about a girl." His sister's voice came up from downstairs. "I guess I see why. She's cute. Like a little hamster."

"When have you ever met her?" Marik called back, trying not to rise to the teasing.

"Well, I haven't yet. I just figured it was her standing on the step trying to convince herself to ring the bell."

Marik might not have believed her had the doorbell not then rung.

"I'll get it."

"Don't you dare!" He shouted back, running downstairs, forcing her into the kitchen and shutting the door on her. Sure she was locked safely away, he smoothed down his frazzled hair and threw the front door open.

* * *

"_...Should I come back later?" Alyssa blinked in confusion before noticing the open safe and the money that had been dislodged from Bakura's pockets in the tussle. "You!" She gasped. _

_"Me." He agreed, suddenly lunging forward and gripping her hard under the chin and the jaw. "What are you going to do about it?"_

_She spat in his face, but he only laughed and shook her hard. She managed to use this to her advantage, however, using the momentum to get free. In that moment everything happened at once. _

_Atem got hold of Bakura's arms, twisting them behind the thief and restraining him without much apparent effort. Alyssa, slightly off balance from jerking free, stumbled slightly against something in the doorway. Only it wasn't the door because it held on even after it steadied her and did not let go. _

_"What's going on?" Marik asked. He had seen Bakura holding Alyssa by the chin, and could see the bruises starting to form on her cheek. He let go a little, but kept a loose grip around her shoulders, wary of any other trouble in case he needed to get her out of the way._

_ She was blushing so badly at that point she thought she might spontaneously combust. Luckily, he was too focused on the events in front of them to notice. _

* * *

Alyssa left the school at a jog, without too much of a plan in mind except that she had to find him and see him. She had a vague idea where he lived, she knew it was off campus, with his sister. Whether that was by choice or if he had lost his parents, she wasn't sure. She was suddenly stuck with how little she actually knew about him. She hardly knew anything about him. Surely she could never be as important to him as he was to her.

For a moment her pace slowed to a walk as she considered this. What if she somehow found his house, and showed up, and then he didn't want to see her or didn't know why she was there? The thought was almost unbearable. She almost stopped, but just as she threatened to put the last foot in front of the other, she broke into a run again. She couldn't quit. Not now, not so easily, not after so much had happened; she couldn't quit, not yet.

She loved him. Maybe she was too young to be in love, or maybe it was just a crush, or maybe it wouldn't last, maybe with time and experience she would look back and see it differently. But right now, today, she couldn't see it like that. Right now she loved him as best her heart knew how, and even though she wasn't quite sure what was going on in his head, she knew she had to find him and find out. She had to. It was time to tell him. Whatever he said in return, she couldn't go on keeping this inside her. Not when he was so close to him graduating and leaving her life forever. It would be unbearable.

She wanted to see him. She wanted to see him so badly, not just in the future, but today, right now, every day. She ran faster, as fast as she could.

Marik lived on a small service road not far from school, or so he had said. She knew which one, it was right by the exit to the motorway. She got there in good time, and then realised that she had no clue as to which house it was. She skid to a halt, and suddenly felt tears build in her eyes. To have come all this way and then realise she couldn't make her feelings reach him after all was just...

She forced the tears away. She had made it to the top of the climbing wall because Izzy had not allowed her to give up. If she could do that, surely she could do anything. Stick with anything, no matter what. This was a lot more important than any climbing wall and probably easier. She leant against a lamppost, getting her breath back and considering her next move. He must have told her something about his house. She forced herself to think back on every conversation she could remember. She was pretty sure he had never told her what number his house was or what colour the front door was or anything useful like that... but she had once overheard him telling a friend, as they looked over a car magazine, that his sister drove nothing more extravagant than a Citron C3. And when there had been all that rain and the flooding, he had said his house was alright because he was almost at the top of the hill. What else? He had once come in limping slightly and explained he had dropped the lawnmower on his foot having been trying to carry it out to the front of the house. Which meant there had to be grass outside.

It wasn't much, she thought grimly, heading up the hill, but it was a start. To her dismay, many of these houses had front lawns, and how close to the top of the hill was 'almost'? She just hoped his sister hadn't changed her car, or that no-one else on this road had one. Most of the driveways were, however, empty. Of course they were, it was in the middle of a working day. Most people would be at work. She could have walked right past his door without knowing it. There was no other solution, she would have to head back down to about half way and start knocking doors in the hope. Feeling her insides squirm in pre-emptive embarrassment, she nevertheless went to turn around; but then she saw it. A little red car with 'C3' stamped on the back.

Alyssa stared at it dumbly for a moment, then headed slowly up the path. What if it wasn't this particular car that his sister owned? Or if she had remembered wrongly the model- she knew very little about cars.

What if he simply didn't want to see her?

She had reached the doorstep by now, and stood looking at the bell for a moment. Maybe she had been stupid to come, maybe she should just head back to school- if she ran, she might make it before lunch ended. But she couldn't just leave. She wanted to make sure he was alright, at least. Even if she chickened out of admitting her feelings, she had to make sure he was okay. She rang the bell before she could allow herself any more doubt.

* * *

_A few moments later, ABBA was blasting out from a CD player in a corner of the classroom. Izzy didn't have the heart to tell them ABBA were not actually British. It didn't seem to matter. They were certainly having fun. A lot of rather noisy fun, at which Izzy seemed to be the centre. Finally, as the party got far too excited, she was able to take a step back. In fact, she found herself watching Alyssa, the Class Rep, and several other girls standing on the desks performing their somewhat unique version of 'Dancing Queen'. Alyssa and the Class Rep seemed to be the ringleaders. Between Alyssa's horrible voice and the Class Rep's broken English, and the bellowing of the entire group, she had never heard a version quite like it. Particularly when some of the boys decided they were not to be outdone and were up on the desks joining in. _

_It quite simply slaughtered the song, but she had never laughed quite so hard as she did that day. Izzy was laughing so hard, in fact, that she almost didn't notice the boy hovering awkwardly in the doorway, watching the proceedings._

_"__Um... can I help you?__"__ She asked, lamely._

_"__Oh! No, it's fine.__"__ He assured her, seemingly __embarrassed__ at being spotted. __"__I just, um, wanted to talk to Alyssa-chan. But, um, it looks like she's... busy.__"_

_ Izzy attempted to hold back a laugh and failed. __"__That's one way of putting it, yes. Don't worry, the song is almost over.__"_

_"__Right.__"__ He answered, still seeming slightly __embarrassed__. __"__So, um, are you new here? You wouldn't be the exchange student she mentioned, right?__"_

_"__That's me.__"__ Izzy answered. __"__I'm Isabella Corbey. Call me Izzy, though.__"_

_"__Pleased to meet you.__"__ He nodded. __"__I'm Marik, I work on the Student Council with Alyssa-chan. We're the treasurers...__"_

_"__Oh, really?__"__ Izzy smirked. Now, this was an interesting turn. Unfortunately, Alyssa noticed his __presence__ before Izzy could probe him any more and promptly stumbled down from the table and across the room._

_"__S-senpai!__"__ She stammered, blushing bright red and staring at the carpet. __"__Um... what brings you here?__"_

* * *

Izzy marched down the corridors, fuming. This had gone far enough. More than far enough. She reached into her bag, pulling out a notepad as she went. She realised Bakura was following and thought about quickening her pace. She didn't want him to stop her. Then again, she thought coolly, there was no way she was going to let him. She reached the headmaster's office and reached to knock on the door-

Then felt someone slam into her hard and was shoved back into the wall, so hard she felt as if bruises would start on her back and come straight through to her stomach. She sank down the wall, cursing, but otherwise did nothing.

"Going to tell tales, are we?" Bakura sneered down at her, kicking her down so she lay on her side on the floor, and holding her head down with his foot. "You really think I'll just be a good boy and admit to it all?"

The corridor was deserted. No-one was coming to help. Still Izzy didn't do anything, just doubled up, groaning, as he kicked her in the stomach. Bakura continued to whisper abuse, calling her all sorts of terrible names. It wasn't clear if this would ever stop.

But, of course, it did. After a moment, Bakura was being dragged off her by the irate headmaster. She sat up slowly, holding her spinning head, and tried not to smirk. Admittedly, she had not planned on being beaten to a pulp, but at least this way it was guaranteed that she would be believed.

"What on earth are you doing?!" The headmaster was admonishing Bakura. "How dare you treat someone like that?! Never have I seen such disgraceful behaviour in my students! You are acting like an animal! What problem could be so bad that it could not be resolved in an adult and rational manner, what problem could lead you to treat this poor, lovely girl in such a way?! You are a disgrace, Bakura!"

"Headmaster." He answered, glaring. "You don't understand what she's done."

"_Nothing _Kobei-chan could do would deserve that, do you understand?! Now, get in my office and _wait there_!"

Izzy watched him walk through the door, somehow knowing that would be the last she saw of him. The headmaster helped her up.

"Kobei-chan," he repeated and she again did not bother to correct him. "Are you alright? Perhaps you should see the nurse."

"Actually, I wanted to speak to you, headmaster." She said. "Well, show you something." She pressed the notebook into his hands. "I don't doubt you are well aware of what goes on in your school, but... he terrorises and he bullies and if I'd come to speak to you before this would have happened sooner..." Here she let out a wince for extra effect. "So... I kept a record."

He raised an eyebrow at this unorthodox method, but nodded. "Thank you, Kobei-chan. I'm sure it will make for most interesting reading. Now. Shepherd-kun, please assist Kobei-chan to the nurse's office."

Izzy opened her mouth to insist she was fine, but then she realised who the headmaster was talking to. She wasn't sure how long he had been there, but Atem was standing just behind her. She regarded him silently as the headmaster went inside the office.

"Izzy." Atem said at once, going over to her and taking her by the shoulders. "Are you alright? What happened? Bakura?"

"Who else?" She replied, chuckling. "But don't worry, I got him."

"I'm going to throw him off a cliff." Atem answered savagely, obviously not of the opinion anything Izzy could do was enough. Then he sighed, pushing his anger aside, and put an arm around her to support her on the journey to the nurse's office.

Both of which were unnecessary, but that didn't mean it wasn't nice.

* * *

"_No way! Not when you've never tried before! I'll have to go find the coach-"_

_"There isn't time! You don't know Alyssa like I do, she'll fall!" With that, Izzy ran for the wall, having to be physical__ly__ stopped by someone grabbing hold of her from behind. She struggled, but it didn't help._

_Honeka had no time to go and get the coach. She didn't even have time to finish her sentence before she was inturrupted by a mixture of shocked cries, muttering, cheering and laughter from their classmates. Izzy stopped struggling to look, worried for a moment that Alyssa had come unstuck and started to fall, but the reality was quite different._

_Marik had started to climb. _

_From where the third years had been running, it had been easy enough to see- and hear- Alyssa's predicament as she clung to the top of the wall and her classmates shouted various unhelpful things at her. Izzy had wondered if she was the only one who was worried- did they not realise Alyssa's amazing talent at hurting herself?- but it seemed not. She allowed herself a small smile. If it was love, she supposed she couldn't interfere. Seeing that she wasn't going to try anything, the hands on her arms let go and they all stood to watch the show._

_Marik, as it later turned out, was in the climbing club. Indeed, many said he would have been the captain had it not been for his responsibilities on the student council. The only reason he had time to be in the club at all was because Alyssa shared in those responsibilities. Izzy had seen him running track, and he wasn't very fast. At all. Atem had zoomed past like a blur, while Marik, clearly putting the effort in, was just before those that weren't trying at all. As such, she was a little surprised to see him scurrying up the wall like an overly confident monkey. He was clearly familiar with the route to the top, and did what had taken Alyssa almost twenty minutes in a matter of moments. She, needless to say, was surprised to see him and her yelp was __audible__ all the way at the bottom of the wall. Izzy just wished she could see her face. _

_"M-Marik-senpai!" Alyssa said. "Um... hi."_

_"Hello." He replied, as if they had simply met in the corridor. "How are you?"_

_

* * *

_

Bakura sat in the headteacher's office, stony-faced. He had no intention of being apologetic or remorseful for the things he had done. It had all been to revenge himself on Atem and Marik and Alyssa, those that had ruined his life. It didn't matter what the cost was. It would be worth it.

Helena would never have left him if it were not for them. She had been a girl he had met completely by chance, but she loved him. She was only supposed to be over her to visit her father, who had separated from her mother and now worked in Japan, but she had extended that visit again and again, to be with _him_, because she knew he couldn't afford to get to Scotland and see her. She had said she would move here. She had promised. She would have done, if _they _hadn't messed things up for him.

He had only been trying to make sure she had a good time. To make sure he kept her.

He scowled. If the experience had taught him anything, it was that you couldn't rely on anyone. If there was something you wanted, you had to get it, and keep it, yourself. Nothing else to be done.

The headmaster came in and yelled at him some more. He didn't really listen, instead cursing Izzy and all the others that had brought him here. He was brought back to reality, however, by the end of the headmaster's rant.

"We warned you before, Bakura, that we would tolerate no more bad behaviour from you. We will not. I am going to the board of governors in order to have them approve a permanent exclusion. You would do well to begin searching for a new school, because we do not want you here."

No, he thought bitterly, they do not want _me _anywhere.

So. That was that.

* * *

"_Well, look at you, all dressed up." He sneered. "What a pity Marik still won't ever notice you."_

_"Go away." Alyssa muttered, looking at the floor. _

_ "Go away." Izzy echoed, far more sternly._

_"No." Bakura replied, suddenly shoving Alyssa back and pinning her against a tree. "I want to have a talk with you."_

_Alyssa struggled, but he held on._

_"Let go!" Izzy yelled. _

_"No." Bakura smirked. "Isn't it about time, Alyssa, that you felt some pain in return? Some fear?"_

_"You..." Alyssa started, angry. Even so, she couldn't shake him off. Izzy booted him hard in his shin, but he didn't seem to care._

_"Isn't this fun?" He smiled, laughter hanging on his words. "I haven't been able to play with you for some time, Alyssa. Maybe I don't want to hurt you. Maybe I just like seeing the fear in your eyes. Or maybe I will..."_

_ "Let go of her!" The voice was so furious that for a moment Izzy didn't recognise it as Marik's as he and Atem ran over. Atem took a much less subtle approach, grabbing Bakura by the collar and hauling him off. Bakura wrenched out of his grip, and stumbled back into Izzy, who fell into a tree herself, dropping the goldfish bag as she did so. _

_"What do you think you're doing?!" Marik yelled. "Did you come here just to cause more trouble?! Let it go!"_

* * *

A long time ago, or so it seemed, Atem had been emotionally blackmailed into attending a festival by Alyssa. Izzy had been there too, and Marik, and Bakura. There had been a bogus fortune teller there, and she had said something very strange.

"And you. You... may still choose. Your back can be turned to the light or to the dark.". At the time, he has dismissed as the usual mumbo-jumbo, trying to make an abstract concept sound mystical and make him fit it around his own life. At the time, he dismissed it as stupid. After all, he reasoned, who would turn their backs to the light?

But now he wondered. Now he had spoken to Izzy. She hadn't said much, but she had pointed something out to him, through her words and behaviour. Nothing in this world was all good or all bad. Not even him. Not even Bakura.

He didn't understand his powers, not fully. He didn't know why he had them or why or how exactly they worked. But he could now see them as powers and not merely as his own personal curse. He was no longer quite so afraid. He was no longer trying to run from people, in order to run from his own powers, his own abilities, his own nature.

He was ready. Ready to turn his back to the light, and embrace the darkness; ready to face his fears and learn more about his own abilities, and how to control the shadows.

He was waiting for Bakura when the latter emerged from the headteacher's office. He stood up straighter. Bakura glared at him.

"Well, well, if it isn't Atem-kun." He snapped. "Come to avenge your little girlfriend? It's pathetic."

"Actually," Atem answered flatly. "I've come to help you."

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Don't get full of yourself." Atem answered. "Izzy told me all about it. I just don't want you going off on another revenge trip."

"Just who do you think you are?!" Bakura growled. "You're not going to decide what I do or do not do! You want to fight?! Fine! I'd love to punch in your smug face!"

"You have been blinded by your own hatred and bitterness." Atem continued, as if he had not heard the challenge. "I'm here to open your eyes, Bakura."

Inside, he was stewing with nerves. What if it didn't work? What if he couldn't do this?

But then he thought of Izzy, and the absolute support she would have given him, and knew he could. He had to. He could see the heaving mass of shadow as clearly as if it had physical form. He reached towards it, and it strained forward to meet him, swelling as always.

"What are you doing?" Bakura demanded, backing away. It made little difference, the shadows he could not see now had such great volume.

Atem said nothing. Hesitating only slightly, he reached forward and closed his hand around the shadows, concentrating. They immediately broke apart, disintegrating at the touch of his will, receding back, shrinking. They did not disappear completely, but returned to a more ordinary size. Bakura swayed unsteadily on his feet.

"You have been given something most people have not." Atem said, sternly. "The chance to start over. Everyone has to fight against their inner darkness every day. Don't lose this time."

Bakura sank to the floor in a daze, saying nothing, but looking around him in confusion. Atem turned around and left, walking away down the corridor.

As he did so, he noticed his own shadows, the marks of his own struggle against his temptations and misdeeds and anger, were shrinking too. He smiled.

* * *

_"Is this... something to do with what you were trying to tell me before?" She asked, hesitantly. "It's like you're afraid of hurting people if you get close to them and I just don't get it. Atem-senpai, what happened to you?"_

_Atem did not know how to answer that question. Thankfully, he didn't have to as he was grabbed from behind. _

_"Stealth attack!" Alyssa laughed, hugging him._

_"It's not a stealth attack if you yell that." Atem pointed out, irritated. "Get off me."_

_"But I'm cooooooooooooold..." She whined. "Anyway, you haven't seen me for two weeks, you know you love it!"_

_"It's behaviour like this that makes everyone think we're dating! Let go!" Atem struggled in vain to pull her arms away from him._

_"I know." Alyssa smirked. "But it's just too much fun seeing you getting so rattled. You are capable of emotion! Who knew?!"_

_"Get off me!!"_

_At length, Alyssa let go and turned to smile at Izzy. "Hey, did you have a nice holiday?"_

_"Yes, thank you. You?" _

_"Fine. Now let's go back inside, I am freezing!"_

_"Then don't come outside and attack people." Atem snapped back, and the two went ahead, bickering. _

_None of the three, each wrapped up in their own thoughts, realised Marik had been watching from a classroom window. He had forced himself inside ahead of them, but there they were. Alyssa didn't even wait for Atem to get inside, she ran outside to embrace him. He felt the envy stir within him and tried to put it to sleep with a stern voice. They were dating, they could do what they liked. This was just the way things were. _

_ But it hurt more than he thought it would._

* * *

Marik opened his front door to find Alyssa standing there. He felt his heart thud, and tried to remind himself she was Atem's girl.

Although, if Atem had cheated on her, maybe she wasn't any more...

"...Marik-senpai." She said, eventually. He could hear a mixture of emotions in there, some he couldn't identify.

"Hi." He said.

Silence fell.

"Oh... you probably want the stuff for Student Council, right?" He asked, sheepishly. "I think I have the stuff for this week upstairs. I'll go get it. Sorry for the trouble."

Alyssa stared at him. Then, to his horror, tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Arrgh, you're so stupid, senpai!!" She yelled, and tore off down the street. Panicking, Marik followed, not even stopping to put his shoes on.

"Alyssa-chan, wait!" He tried.

"No!"

"Please!" He begged. "I know you're mad I got in a fight with Atem, but can't we talk about it?! Can't I at least get some shoes?!"

Unfortunately, this only seemed to enrage her further. "Ahhh! You really are the most stupid, idiotic, foolish, blind-!"

"Look!" Marik interrupted, still hurrying after her and trying to ignore how dirty the pavement was. "What exactly have I done?!"

"What have you _done_?!" She demanded, furiously, halting abruptly and turning to face him. "Nothing! That's the problem! I mean, what do I have to do?! Do you want me to flipping storyboard it for you?! Do you want it written in flashing neon flipping lights?! Gaaah, you're so dumb! You're so dumb, I hate how dumb you are, senpai!"

"Alyssa-chan, calm down!" He was now thoroughly bewildered. "I know it's more work, but it's only for a week, I'm sure you can manage. Or I can catch up when I get back. So please, don't c-"

"I didn't come here for the flipping Student Council!" She shouted. "I came here for _you_!"

Marik was taken aback. "Huh?"

"Arrgh, what do you want me to do?!" She screamed in frustration. "Marik-senpai, why won't you get it?! Didn't you ever wonder why I joined the council?! Why I wanted to be a treasurer when I hate maths?! Didn't you ever think it was strange how many times I happened to bump into you in the corridor?! Did you not even consider that I'm here, skipping school, when I should be in class, just to see you?! How I ran all the way here when I didn't even know where your house was?! You're so _stupid_!! Everything I've done since we've met I've done for you and you haven't even _noticed_!"

A stunned silence fell. The tears resumed their way down her face. Because of him.

"...You're so stupid..." she muttered again, and then turned tail and fled.

Marik stood stupidly for a moment, watching her go, hearing her words echoing in his head over and over. Then he wondered what in earth he was doing and went after her.

"Alyssa-chan! Alyssa! Wait, please!" She didn't stop. "Please! I thought... I thought... I thought you loved Atem!"

"That's just a stupid rumour that you believed because you're stupid! Leave me alone!"

"No!" He lunged forward, grabbed her arm, forced her to stop. "Stop! Just... stop a minute."

"Let go of me." She said coldly, not looking at him. He almost did, but he knew she would leave and not come back. So he pulled her close to him instead.

"No." He said, again. "No. Alyssa, I... I'm sorry, I _was _stupid. I just didn't want to hope you felt that way. I'm so happy you do."

There was pause before Alyssa spoke, a touch more calmly. "Senpai. Please... just let go of me."

"No!" He said again, clinging to her even more fiercely. "I know I hurt you, I'm so sorry, but I won't let go! You have to give me a chance!"

"Seriously, Marik-senpai, please let go!"

"No! No, Alyssa. I... I love you." Still holding her close, he felt her inhale sharply. He took this as a good sign and leant down to kiss her.

Finally.

The moment passed and they stood, silently embracing.

"Will you let go now?" Alyssa said, awkwardly. "It's just... you're crushing my arm."

"Ahh!" Marik yelped, jumping away from her. "Oh! I'm sorry, I thought... Ahh, did I hurt you? I'm sorry!"

"It's okay." She smiled, massaging her aching arm. "It's okay now."

Silence fell again.

"So." Alyssa said, going slightly red and not quite able to meet his eye. "Think we could try that again? When you're not also trying to kill me?"

Blushing himself and not quite trusting himself to say anything that wasn't stupid, Marik nodded mutely and obliged.

"Ha." She laughed softly, pulling away.

"Heh." He agreed.

For a moment, all he could think of was something Izzy had once said to him:

_"I don't see why you're trying to play matchmaker."_

_"Because you like her and she likes you and you're both stupid."_

_

* * *

_

Alyssa did not return to school that afternoon. Izzy tried not to be concerned, hoping she was at least with Marik and not crying alone somewhere. She hurried back to the dorms as soon as school let out, but discovering her friend was not there either, set off into the town to look for her.

As she walked past houses and the department stores, the arcade, saw the planes going in to land at the airport, she felt a strange sense of grief flare up in her chest. She was suddenly acutely aware of how little time she had left here, and how much she'd miss it.

Then she heard a distinctive laugh, and saw Alyssa walking down the street, hand in hand with Marik, as she finished laughing and dragged him off to look at something. Izzy watched them go, feeling oddly detached. She, after all, was only a part of Alyssa's daily life for a few short months. At least now she knew her friend would be looked after when she went home. She smiled to herself, glad Alyssa was happy.

But there was a part of her that was sad, too, and felt unnecessary. There was a part of her a little envious that Alyssa had found someone so special to her, and to whom she was so special, above everyone else. She herself had no such relationship.

Izzy sighed to herself. Bakura was to be removed from the school and Alyssa and Marik were finally together. A happy ending.

"Time to go home." She whispered. There was a note of unhappiness there even she could not dismiss.

* * *

_**A/N (Waffles4eva): I have nothing to say about this episode. Except that the punch was on request. XD**_

**A/N: (scooby2408): I admit it! I asked for her put in that punch. She asked me if there was anything I really wanted to see happen and I told her that I didn't care who did it or why they did it as long as 'someone' punched Bakura in the face. Come on though, someone had to do it - he deserves it. I wonder why they never thought of doing that in the original anime... Thanks for reading. We're almost at the end my birthday fic and I'll leave you with the preview for the final episode of Over the Rainbow:**

There isn't up or down...

**"Guys, guys! It's terrible! It's the last episode!"  
**

"You knew that it was only ten episodes before we started, Alyssa."

**"Atem! You have to do something! Izzy's gonna go home!"**

"... So?"

Everyone under the same sky... The Paradise from our dreams...

**"Well, I won't let this happen! I'm going to do something!"**

_"... I'm not sure you can, Alyssa. I mean, you saw the script, she's going to..."_

**"No!! I told you! I won't let this happen to her!"**

That's our Paradise.

**"It's the last episode! We have to do something! Atem, please!"**

"I can't."

**"But... but she's going to..."**

"... I just can't."

Greedless, nothing to lose...

**"I won't let it end this way!"**

"Over the Rainbow Episode Ten: Finalé - An Impartial World."


	10. Finalé Part Two

**A/N (scooby2408): First of all I must apologise, I was supposed to post this final episode on my actual birthday on 24th, but because of work and A Level results and then preparing to go to Uni in a couple of weeks, it's kinda got put on the back burner, but here it is - the final episode of Over the Rainbow!**

**_A/N (Waffles4eva: This one comes with reading instructions, because like most animes the final scene is a montage set to the ending theme. So please, when you see this (*) and the words in __italics set your youtube to 'Imagine' by the Korean band known as Brunch and repeat as necessary._**

_Disclaimer: I only own Izzy and Alyssa. The plot and storyline belong entirely to Waffles4eva. Everything else isn't ours._

* * *

Episode Ten: Finalé- An Impartial World

No-one had been unduly surprised at the news that Alyssa and Marik were now an item. Half the class thought they had been already and the other half just said 'finally'. For Izzy, it was just fun to watch Alyssa blush every time the subject was raised. As such, she amused herself by raising it as much as possible.

"Gaaah, stop it!" Alyssa whined one Friday afternoon, after a particularly generous bout of teasing from Izzy, Honeka and Hachiro. "You guys are just jealous of my happiness." She added, jokingly.

"Right." Izzy rolled her eyes. "Seriously, though, it's about time you were happy. I'm just glad you'll have someone to stop you killing yourself when I go home."

"Hey, I can look after myself." Alyssa scowled.

Izzy grinned. "Sure. Got stuck on any climbing walls recently?"

"That's right, Izzy-chan." Honeka said, once they'd stopped laughing. "Your transfer finishes next week, doesn't it? That's a little sad."

"Yeah, I'll-"

"What?!" Alyssa interrupted, leaping to her feet. "What do you mean, _next week_?!"

"As in, the weekend after this one."

"What?! No way!! Are you sure?"

Izzy forced a laugh, although laughing was suddenly the last thing she felt like doing. "I'm touched you're that irate about it, Alyssa, but yeah, I've been here sixth months. It's time to go home."

"But... what about..."

"What about what?"

"Atem-senpai."

"What about him?"

Alyssa shook her head, but turned back to face the front for the final lesson of the week to begin. Izzy didn't hear a word of it. The truth was, she hadn't anticipated on it coming so soon either. Things had been quiet, recently, with Bakura gone. Somehow the days had just whizzed by.

She tried to feel something other than sadness at leaving, and failed.

* * *

This, Marik thought, was supposed to have been their happy ending. Not that it was an ending, of course, it was a beginning. But still. Alyssa seemed vacant today, staring into space and twirling her pen. Her arithmetic was not always perfect, but she didn't normally get ¥4500 plus ¥550 to equal ¥3573. Silently, he took the sheet of sums from in front of her, beginning to correct them. Feeling it slip away from underneath her elbow seemed to snap her back to reality.

"Oh..." She said slowly. "Sorry, senpai."

"Alyssa..."

"Marik." She corrected herself, smiling. Unfortunately the smile slipped away again after a second, and she sighed slightly.

"What's the matter?" He asked, cautiously. He had inadvertently made her cry once before with clumsy words and had sworn never to do it again.

"Marik, Izzy's going home next week. She told me earlier."

"Oh..." He said slowly. "I thought that must be coming up soon."

"Ahhh! Why didn't anyone remind me?!" Alyssa groaned, covering her face. Then she folded her arms, pouting slightly with disappointment. Marik had to remind himself it would be very inappropriate to reach across the desk and kiss her there and then. He tried to listen as she spoke, and wished he didn't think she was quite so cute. "With everything that happened, I feel like I hardly spent any time with her. It's not right. I feel bad."

"Well, I'm sure she doesn't see it like that." He tried to console her. "Anyway, there's nothing you can do about it now. You can't get the time back, after all."

Alyssa looked at him, a small smile growing on her face. She looked distinctly shifty like that.

"What?" Marik asked nervously.

"I may not be able to get the time back, but what if I could extend it?!"

"What?" He repeated. "Alyssa-"

She was jumping to her feet. "We're done here for this afternoon, right? Okay, good!"

"Alyssa, where are you going?!" Marik demanded as she ran for the door.

"I have a plan to get Izzy to stay in Japan! But I'll need help, so..."

The door banged behind her.

"Is she coming back?" The student council president asked, slightly irritated she hadn't checked with him that he was ready for them to disperse.

"Um... I don't think so." Marik sighed, climbing to his feet. "Permission to go stop my girlfriend from doing something stupid?"

"Permission granted. Good luck."

Marik had a feeling he would need it.

* * *

"Atem!! Yo, open up!!"

"Pounding on my door makes me less inclined to open it."

"If you don't, I'll make Marik kick it in!"

"I'm not doing that!"

"Okay, _I'll _kick it in!"

"As if you could."

"Okay, then I'll go get the thugs from Class 3C to come and kick it in!"

"You will not! What if they hurt you?!"

"Oh, thanks for worrying about _my _health, Marik."

On either side of the door to N001, a commotion was breaking out. Alyssa was very loudly demanding entrance by shouting and pummelling the door with her fists and shouting. Atem was determined not to admit her. Even so, he wasn't sure he could take the noise much longer.

The fact of the matter was, he wasn't in the mood for company. He, too, was brooding on the fact that Izzy would soon be leaving them. Alyssa's reaction to such revelations was immediate and often not thought through action. His was to think about it obsessively but do nothing. Currently, his thoughts were locked in a cycle approximating the following pattern:

_She's leaving- she's going home- I have to stop her- but how could I stop her- I could tell her my feelings- then she'd probably want to leave even more- I could tell her Alyssa needs her here- but Alyssa has Marik now, she won't buy that- I could tell her I need her- that might be true- No it isn't, I'm fine on my own, even if she goes home- but I don't want her to go home- I have to stop her- but she might _want _to leave- she might want to go home- I shouldn't stop her- but she's leaving- she's going home- I have to stop her- how could I stop her..._

And so on. Needless to say, it was getting pretty tiring. He needed to get out and clear his head, but Alyssa was still out there. Still trying to knock the door off its hinges.

"Alyssa, stop that. He's not going to open the door, you'll hurt your fingers doing that."

"But... Izzy..."

"Ahhh, your knuckles are bleeding! What did I tell you, you silly girl? Come here, let me look."

And now they were having a moment right outside his door. Wonderful. Although, actually, it could provide the distraction he needed to get past. He opened the door slowly, hoping they would be too engrossed to-

Alyssa's foot was in the door before he could slam it shut again, balancing as Marik still held up her hand for examination. He tried to shut it anyway, ignoring the yelps of pain and annoyance this incurred. A brief shoving match ensued, with the end result that Atem eventually gave up and stepped back, just for the satisfaction of watching Alyssa stumble across his room. She frowned at him, but then waved Marik away and shut the door. They were alone in his room.

Atem _really _hoped Marik trusted him. Although he still hadn't apologised for that punch.

"What is it, Alyssa?" He sighed, folding his arms.

"Atem-senpai." She said, slightly desperately. "You have to convince Izzy to stay!"

"Why?" He said, flatly.

"Because if I try she'll just find reasons not to!"

"And why shouldn't she go?"

Alyssa looked at him in surprise. "You want her to go?"

For a moment, Atem didn't trust himself to speak. Of course he didn't want her to go. There was some instinctual, childish part of him that was beginning to think tying Izzy to a chair or locking her in a cupboard was the best course of action. But he had to behave better than that. He couldn't just rely on Izzy his whole life. He had to take the lessons she had taught him and use them, continue on his own path. He had to learn to live his own life on his own strength. It was only his selfishness that wanted her to stay.

"I can't ask her to stay."

"But she'll say yes if it's you!" Alyssa protested. "She's only going because she thinks she has to!"

"She does have to, her transfer is over!" Atem snapped. "She has a family and a whole life back home, this was just a holiday!"

"Just a holiday?!" Alyssa repeated. "After everything that's happened, I'd be kinda disappointed if she called it 'just a holiday'!"

"Why?! It was a temporary stay away from home- a holiday!"

"Atem-senpai, she loves you and you love her but if you don't do something she'll be gone forever!"

Silence fell.

"I don't love her and I doubt she loves me." Atem eventually said, quietly.

"But..."

"I said _no_, Alyssa! I think it's time Izzy went home, where she belongs, so stop acting like a spoilt child who has to share their favourite toy!"

"You coward!" She yelled back, opening the door so fast it rattled on its hinges. "You just can't face the idea you might fail so you're too scared to try! You coward!" With that, she ran out, slamming the door shut behind her.

Atem kicked it in annoyance as it closed and then again for good measure. Just who did Alyssa think she was, telling _him_ how he felt?! Who knew better than him what was inside his head?! He had made his decision. He had to let her go. Or, at least, he could not make her stay.

It didn't matter what he told himself, however; he couldn't shake the secret feeling that Alyssa might be right. Still he pushed the thoughts aside and went about his usual business.

He was not going to talk to her. He had no right to ask her to stay, and he didn't need her to.

* * *

Izzy collapsed onto her bed, exhausted. She had the strange feeling of happiness laid on a foundation of sadness, and it was wearing her out. It had been her final day at school, and although she had planned to retire early and get some sleep before the journey to England, her classmates had other plans. In the true tradition of 2A, they had thrown her a party that, even when they had been thrown off the grounds so the school could be locked up, had somehow continued in the courtyard outside the four dorm blocks. It had been a lot of fun. Everyone had laughed and enjoyed themselves. There had been some great moments, and trying to force the regret that it was over away, she relived them again. When the wind had blown, showering them all in cherry blossoms, and one went down the back of Kiku's shirt, to the great amusement of all and followed by some slightly suggestive comments as to how to remove it. Their faces when she finally told them that ABBA wasn't English. The moment in a game of truth and dare when Hachiro finally got over his uncharacteristic shyness around Honeka and kissed her on the cheek. The moment when she rolled her eyes but kissed him on the lips. The way they all laughed at Nanami's impression of Ryota. All of the faces of her classmates, smiling and laughing around her, eating and dancing and joking and teasing. She had never felt so at home as she had here.

But now it was over. That was it. Everything that needed to be done had been done. It was time to go back.

She sighed deeply and pulled the covers up. All good things had to come to an end, after all. It was time to go back to real life. She closed her eyes and waited for sleep to come.

She wasn't the only one. Next door, Alyssa wasn't asleep either. Instead, she sat on the edge of her bed, watching Sukui swim lazily around. Earlier, just before the two girls had turned into their rooms for the night, Izzy had asked her to wait. A moment later, she emerged with the tank in her arms.

"Could you take care of him for me?" Izzy asked, a little sadly. "Kind of hard to take on a plane."

"Of course." Alyssa answered, taking it from her. "Hey, Izzy. Two fish in a tank."

"Yeah?"

"One said to the other 'you drive, I'll man the guns'."

Izzy groaned and the two shared one final laugh together.

"Wake me up tomorrow." Alyssa had instructed. "I'll come with you to the airport."

Now it seemed she might be rather tired, if she couldn't get to sleep. She sighed to herself and lay back on the bed. At least she'd have Marik, but there was a difference between a boyfriend and a best friend. She wondered what he was doing right now.

He wasn't asleep either, reading another book Alyssa had recommended. He hoped she would be alright now, without Izzy. It was strange. He had gotten so used to her being around, he had forgotten that it wasn't the norm. He wondered what Atem was going to do without her. Alyssa said she had been unsuccessful in convincing him to convince her to stay. Marik wasn't sure what to think. Perhaps Atem was right, they were inclined to forget that she had a whole life back in England, a life she might want to go back to.

But he couldn't help but feel that this was somehow wrong.

Atem, too, was second guessing himself. He had only done what had to be done. But was it really right? It had to be, he had no right to influence her. But it didn't feel right. That lunchtime she had sat opposite him and smiled and said 'I'm going home tomorrow, so I guess this is goodbye'. She had smiled. He had smiled too, and wished her a safe journey, and didn't say so much more than that. He watched the ceiling for a long time, until the first lights of dawn crept across it, bringing with it the day she would leave.

* * *

The flight wasn't until ten am, so Izzy, who had awoken early after a night of little sleep, had time to wander around the school grounds before she left. She was just going to go and knock for Alyssa, when she spotted her walking across the courtyards by the dorms, heading back to East block. She ran to catch up.

"Alyssa, what are you doing out here so early?"

"Same thing as you, I'll bet." She grimaced. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No." Izzy admitted. "It's time we were getting to the airport. Are you still coming?"

"You bet." Alyssa forced a smile.

"Alright, let me just go get my case." Izzy answered, disappearing into the building. Alyssa waited until the door swung shut behind her before pulling a walky-talky from her bag and speaking into it.

"Okay, everyone, ETA 45 minutes. Make sure you're not seen. Spectrum is green, let's go!"

* * *

Atem stood and looked at the view, thinking. This waiting was hard. He knew Izzy would be heading for the airport now, and every step would take her further from him. She would soon be flying so far away from him, to the other side of the world. They would e-mail, of course, but it would never be more than that.

He began to wonder if that would be enough.

He wouldn't see her smiling every day. He wouldn't see her characteristic frown when she was concentrating hard, her exasperation if Alyssa was being stupid. He wouldn't see the pride in her eyes when he did something that pleased her. He would never feel her arms around him again. They would never again watch the New Year fireworks, argue, walk to school, go to the festival. She had been his first friend, and he would probably never see her again. She wanted to go home.

Still, he couldn't help wishing that she didn't. Or if she did, that he had convinced her not to.

Would it be so wrong, if he could make her happy?

But could he? He asked himself. Could he really do that?

* * *

"Well." Alyssa said reluctantly, as they stood in the queue for the baggage check in. "I guess it's goodbye, for now."

"Guess so." Izzy replied, looking down at her suitcase so she didn't have to look at Alyssa and show her red eyes. The truth was, she wished it wasn't time to go home. There was so much she still wanted to do. Like tell Atem...

No. There was nothing to tell him. They moved forward another place in the queue.

"So, are you sure you have everything?" Alyssa asked, with false cheerfulness, secretly hoping something would have been forgotten to stop Izzy getting on that plane. It all just felt so wrong. If only Atem had talked to her. "Suitcase?"

"Here." Izzy kicked it.

"Hand luggage?"

"Here." She held it up.

"Um... tissues?"

Izzy patted her pocket.

"Health insurance card?"

"Here." In her other hand, she held up a cluster of documents.

"Boarding pass?"

"Here." Izzy answered, tapping the relevant slip of paper.

"Passport?"

"Here!" Izzy said, exasperated, tapping it too. "Can I go now?"

"...Sorry." Alyssa answered.

"Huh?"

"Sorry, but you can't." She explained, and before Izzy could say anything, had whipped her passport out of her hand and had thrown it high into the air.

It arched above the people in the queue. (*)

_2, 3, 4!_

_John, still in this place, people fight only for themselves_

_John, will the paradise you once dreamt of ever become real?_

_The paradise you always dreamt_

"Ah, Alyssa!" Izzy yelped, tearing off after it. Alyssa just smiled, and hoped it worked.

Waiting in another queue, two lines to the left, Hachiro was ready. He didn't have the best eye on the cricket team for nothing. He spotted the passport flying through the air, jumped up, caught it and sped away before Izzy even recognised his face. When she did, she cursed and ran faster. Hachiro was a fast runner.

"Come back here!" She demanded.

Hachiro turned his head, sticking out his tongue and disappeared into the airport's cafe. He slid over a table and dashed for the exit on the far side. Izzy would have chased after him, had then the person at the table not leapt to her feet, grabbed something from the surface, and tore off in the opposite direction.

"Honeka-chan!" Izzy protested, chasing as fast as she could. "You're meant to be the class rep! Be responsible!"

By this point, they had been absorbed into the general crowd milling around the various shops at the airport, but she still heard Honeka's distant cry:

"Kiku-chan! You're up!"

"Kiku..." Izzy growled, scanning the crowd. She was surrounded by faces, how was she supposed to find one wayward classmate?! Finally, however, she heard a surprised yelp and realised Kiku was forcing her way at top speed up some stairs to an upper level. Annoyed, she gave chase. At least she had some hope of cornering her.

She almost caught up. Kiku's shirt was in her grip, she tried to pull the passport out of the girl's grasp, but it was too late.

"Mei-chan!" Kiku gasped, throwing the passport from the top of the stairs. Cursing again- something her classmates in England had never reduced her to- she pushed down the stairs, knowing even as she did so Mei would have a huge head start across the lobby.

_They must have planned this. Everyone is perfectly in place._ Izzy thought to herself, slightly stunned. _But... why?_

She ran as fast as she could, knowing Mei was heading for the automatic doors and out of the airport. The doors were old, with a slight delay, maybe she could catch up-

Only Hoshiko was standing there, already activating the sensors, holding the doors open. On the other side, limbering up, was Akemi. Akemi, who sat behind her in class, who had very long legs, and happened to be in the reserves for Japan's national sprint team.

Izzy groaned.

_There isn't up or down_

_Everyone under the same sky_

_The paradise from our dreams_

_That's our paradise!_

_Greedless, nothing to lose, an impartial world_

_A dream paradise_

_Here right now_

Izzy had expected Akemi to head to the right or the left, across the car park and eventually onto the street, but instead she ran straight ahead. Towards the train station. Where, conveniently, a train was just pulling up to the platform.

Izzy had a sinking feeling more of her classmates would be on that train, soon to be followed by her passport.

Akemi sprinted up to the ticket barriers, Izzy hot on her heels, but Chiyo was already there, on the other side of the barriers, waiting. Akemi pressed the passport into her hand like a baton and grinned as Izzy finally caught up.

"Better hurry." She teased. "You'll miss your train."

"I don't have a ticket!" Izzy scowled. "What are you guys playing at?!"

"Don't worry." Akemi evaded. "It's all planned out." She took a ticket from her pocket, shoved it into the barrier and waved Izzy through. "Good luck!" She called after her.

Izzy didn't reply any more fluently than with a growl. She dived on the train, Chiyo had to be here somewhere- but no, Chiyo was there, on the platform, waving as the train pulled away. For a panicky moment, Izzy thought she still had her passport, but no. Someone else had to be here.

"Isamu!!" She yelled, spotting him. "Give it back right now!"

"Uh, no." He answered, and began pushing his way down the crowded compartments. Izzy followed, trying and failing not to tread on people. Finally they reached the end of the train, the final carriage, and she grinned triumphantly.

"My passport, please."

"Sure." He answered, reaching his arm out. The train suddenly jerked, braking for a station, and the doors opened. With a casual flick of his wrist and a satisfied smirk, he threw the little booklet off the train. The golden lion glittered for a moment in the sun, before being covered by someone's hand. Asuka admired it for a moment, indulging her Anglophile nature, then stuck out her tongue at the stunned Izzy and ran for it. Regaining movement, Izzy slid through the doors just as they began to close, Indiana Jones style, and gave chase the moment her feet hit the platform. She caught Asuka, but the girl didn't seem unduly concerned, giving a playful squeal and adding "Katsu, catch!"

The passport, Izzy was sure, had now done more flying than it ever had done on a plane, but this was far from over.

It wasn't fair. Katsu was on a bike.

Knowing she was playing into their hands but that she had no choice, Izzy followed once again. There was no way she would catch up, but if she could just keep in sight...

To her surprise, however, Katsu skidded to a halt at a house at the end of the street and even as she hastened to catch up, was posting the passport through the letter box.

"Katsu, you-!!"

Unsurprisingly, Katsu pedalled hastily away, but Izzy had no time for revenge. She had to get her passport and get back to the airport. She rang the bell and waited impatiently. Someone opened the door.

"Hello, can I help you?" A woman with oddly familiar features asked.

"Yes, I think my- Shinobu!" Izzy yelled, seeing the girl in question through the open door of the kitchen attempting to sneak into the back garden. She jumped, glanced back at Izzy guiltily, and ran outside. "Shinobu!!" Izzy thundered, charging past her classmate's mother and through the house. She caught up with Shinobu at the far end of the garden, where a gate opened onto another street. On the other side of this gate was Emi, who snatched the passport from Shinobu and began to run in the direction of the market. Well, Izzy wasn't giving up that easily. Vaulting over the gate, she ran as fast as she could. She _would _get that passport.

"Sorry, Izzy-chan!" Shinobu called after them. "It's for your own good!!"

"Shinobu, what's going on?" Her mother asked, bewildered.

_John, how's over there?_

_Has your dream been fulfilled?_

_How long do we need to wait to meet the paradise_

_We've always dreamt?_

_The place we always dreamt of!_

The market. The worst possible place they could take her. There were always a million faces in the crowd here, and today was no exception. She would have to keep a careful eye on where her passport was, because she was beginning to suspect that most of her class had turned out to participate in this new sport. Izzy baiting.

_Alyssa_, she swore. _I am going to kill you_. But first she had to get her passport back, or she couldn't go home.

Already out of breath, Emi was casting around, also looking for someone. Suddenly, she crouched down in front of a stall and gave something to the boy hiding underneath, running past an alarmed shop keeper who apparently hadn't noticed he was there. Izzy indentified him as he tried to blend in with the crowd.

"Daisuke, I'll miss my flight!" She bellowed, but he didn't listen, diving behind another stall. A second later, both he and Nori emerged, but which had the passport? Nori was probably meant as a diversion and Daisuke still had it. But he was heading back into the market and it wouldn't follow the pattern. Besides, assuming Alyssa was the mastermind behind it, she would have known Izzy would think it was a bluff and given it to Nori instead. Izzy followed him and they emerged from the far side of the market. Away from the crowd, she was rewarded- to her relief- by the sight of the small brown booklet in his hand. She was getting tired now. She was spurred on only by her stubbornness as they ran for the park.

As she had expected, Nanami was waiting at the gate and snatched the passport from Nori just before Izzy could. She ran off up the park's walkway and streaked past the joggers, who all looked a little discouraged by her speed, especially when Izzy dashed past too. Izzy almost caught her, but then she veered off road, leaping over flowerbeds and bushes, cutting across the grass. Izzy followed, her legs and lungs protesting, but still determined. She wouldn't lose here!

They were running down the bank now, towards the lake, and Izzy was a little worried about her momentum carrying her into the water. However, there was no time for such concerns. She was searching out the next in the relay and determined to intersect Nanami before she reached them.

But it was too late. Goro was at the bottom, but Nanami tossed the passport ahead of herself and Goro ran the moment it was in his hands. Cursing even as she panted, Izzy skidded to a halt just on the water's edge and changed direction, following Goro around the edge of the lake.

"Give it back, you ba-!"

"Momoko! Take it!"

"On it!" She answered, grabbing it and sprinting out of the gates that marked the end of the park. They started heading up a tree-lined street that Izzy was sure she'd travelled before, but only recognised when she saw a vast flight of stairs in front of them.

_"Oh, I meant to tell you." Alyssa said one morning over breakfast. "You'll need a furisode."_

Great. Steps. Just what she wanted. Momoko, who hadn't run half way across the city, pounded up the stairs to the temple, Izzy hot on her heels, nearly knocking over a poor Shinto priestess who was busy sweeping.

"Give it back!" Izzy shouted again, but a little more quietly. It really was peaceful here when there wasn't a festival going on. She wished she had time to visit properly.

"No!" Momoko laughed, matter-of-factly, exiting the temple grounds on the far side and taking them onto the high street. There Hiroko was waiting, and he too took the passport and sped off without a word.

Izzy was getting seriously fed up of this.

Hiroko ran down the high street, past all the shops she and Alyssa had spent the weekends together, past where she had seen her with Marik, past the restaurant where Bakura had taken her. Then, he suddenly veered left, into the other place she and Alyssa had spent the weekends, a place she had visited on her very first day in Japan.

She only entered the arcade a second after Hiroko, but already lost him amidst the flashing lights, spinning graphics and tinny sound effects. Dreading that this was the end and that she would find the precious passport wedged in a crane game, she was almost relieved to give chase to Megumi, who tried to sneak quietly past her but stubbed his toe on Street Fighter. She headed after him, towards the relative daylight of the outside world.

_There isn't up or down_

_Everyone under the same sky_

_The paradise from our dreams_

_That's our paradise!_

_Greedless, nothing to lose, an impartial world_

_A dream paradise_

_Para paradise_

Sometimes there comes a moment in life when you look down on yourself and wonder what on earth happened to you for it to come to this point. Izzy was asking this question now, as she chased Ryota down the street, but couldn't answer it. This was really unfair, she thought, each of these runners was fresh- Ryota had only got the passport just outside the arcade- whereas she had run practically back to the dorms.

Still, she thought, as they turned into the courtyard between the dormitory buildings, on the bright side she was fitter than she had thought.

Takumi was waiting outside North block, and with an exaggerated flourish and a bow towards the glaring Izzy, took the passport and ran towards the school with it. Izzy wondered what they would have planned for her there, and then spotted Yuzuki just inside the grounds. She kissed Takumi's cheek as she took the passport from him, jumped over the back of a bench, and disappeared into the school grounds. Satomi was next, waiting behind the bike sheds, and set off towards the next edge of the school building. She took it all the way back to the front entrance, where to no great surprise the door was thrown open and Miki took great delight in dragging it- and Izzy- up three flights of steps, to the far end of the corridor, where she ran into a classroom and tossed it unceremoniously out of a window.

"Ahhh!" Izzy yelped, dashing forwards to look where it had landed. Then she sighed when she saw it fall into Junko's hands, who immediately ran and disappeared around the side of the gym. "I can't take much more of this..." She groaned, but then forced herself to run back out into the corridor and down the stairs.

_Imagine all the people at peace!_

As she ran, Izzy came to a realisation. However good Alyssa had been at organising this little wild goose chase- and it _must _have been Alyssa- it couldn't go on much longer. She'd seen Junko, Miki, Satomi, Yuzuki and Takumi. She'd seen Ryota, Megumi and Hiroko. Nanami, Goro and Momoko had taken over from Daisuke and Nori in the park. Katsu and Emi had met her on either side of her rampage through Shinobu's house. Asuka, Isamu, Chiyo and Akemi had all been on or around the train. Hoshiko, Mei, Kiku, Honeka and Hachiro- all these people had followed after Alyssa herself. Alyssa had obviously timed this very carefully, but not well enough- she was out of classmates. Izzy checked her watch with satisfaction. If she could catch and get her passport back from Junko in the next few minutes, she could catch the train in ten, and be back at the airport just in time for her flight.

However, when she rounded the corner of the gym and stood parallel to the climbing wall, trying to get her breath back, Junko was nowhere to be seen. Luckily, Marik was standing there, harnessed up, obviously about to climb the wall. There must have been a club activity going on. He looked at her in apparent surprise.

"Marik-senpai!" Izzy gasped. "Have you seen Junko-chan run through here?! Which way did she go?!"

"Oh, you mean the girl with long black hair?"

"Yes!"

"That way, I think." He said, pointing. As he did so, she saw the passport in his hand.

"Ah! You found it!" She grinned. "I need it! Thanks so much."

"Sorry." He said, shaking his head. "But Alyssa would kill me."

With that, he stuffed it into the harness and scurried up the wall like a true monkey man. Howling in frustration, Izzy realised there was no way she could climb the wall after him without a harness and helmet and she would never do it as quickly as him. It would be faster to run all the way up the seven floors of the school, onto the roof, and down the rickety ladder onto the roof of the gym. She headed back inside and began, wishing that the school would invest in a lift.

She paused briefly on the third floor and looked out a window over the roof of the gym, and saw Marik had already climbed the wall, unstrapped himself and was just beginning to climb the ladder to the top of the school.

So, the roof, was it?! Angry, she doubled her pace. This would end on the roof whether Alyssa wanted it to or not.

_If I could ever go there_

_Only with you_

_The one and only love will take me there_

_Before my remaining life's bell rings_

_If I could ever go there_

Izzy made her way up the seventh floor, and then up a final small staircase that lead to the roof. She pushed open the door at the top, and for a moment was blinded by the sun. Then she saw gold, glittering in the light, and realised the coat of arms on her passport was catching it again. Smiling with bitter triumph, she started forward to reclaim it-

But stopped short as she realised who was holding it. Atem turned to face her.

"...Hello." He said, smiling weakly.

Izzy glared at him, stomped across the roof and snatched her passport from his hand. She turned on her heel and began the march back to the door.

"You know," he said hesitantly, as she put her hand on the handle. "I think this proves... your class doesn't want you to go."

"...Well, I do." Izzy lied, annoyed, pulling the door open.

"Do you?" He asked quietly. "Then, I won't stop you."

"Like you could." Izzy snapped.

"But... before you go." He said, his voice growing stronger. It was too late now. Despite his better judgement, he could not stop the words any more then he could have stopped himself from coming here when Alyssa had told him to. "I just want to thank you. I'm happy you spoke to me. I'm grateful you changed me. I'm glad of the lessons you've taught me. And..." he swallowed. "And even though you're leaving, I don't regret falling in love with you."

She stood still for a moment, unable to stay, unwilling to go back. The wind blew, stirring up the leaves that lay on the flat roof.

"Is that true?" She asked, quietly.

"Yes." He said, blushing. "It's true. So I wanted to say a proper goodbye."

"Goodbye?" She repeated, turning around. "I don't think so."

With that, she ran across the roof and into his arms, and somewhere on the way the passport flew from her grip and off the roof. She didn't notice as he slowly lifted her face to his.

The passport spiralled down towards earth.

_There isn't up or down_

_Everyone under the same sky_

_The paradise from our dreams_

_That's our paradise!_

_Greedless, nothing to lose, an impartial world_

_A dream paradise_

_Para paradise_

The passport spiralled down towards earth.

Alyssa ran onto the school grounds, finding Marik as he came back down the climbing wall, and squeezed his hand. "How did it go?" She asked him.

"I don't know." He said, honestly. "She seemed pretty mad."

Just then, something began to fall from the roof. Alyssa saw it and smiled. Her plans _always _worked.

The passport spiralled down towards earth.

In the park not too far away, Bakura had looked up in surprise as he saw Izzy streak past, apparently in pursuit of a classmate, but for some reason felt no desire to intervene. He was doing little of anything nowadays. He felt a little lost, in all honesty. Since being expelled from school, he had felt perhaps he really _should _do something differently; a new start. That sounded worryingly cheesy, but away from the people he had sworn revenge on, maybe he could do something...

"Bakura?"

He knew the voice. He didn't dare turn to look, but sensed it as she sat down next to him. She still wore the same perfume.

"...I thought you went home." He said, eventually.

"I did." She admitted, a little embarrassed. "But.... I thought... you might need... help."

She covered his hand with hers. Somewhere not too far away, another new couple was embracing.

And the passport spiralled down towards earth. As it rotated, it caught the eye of all of 2A, who had now congregated to watch the show. As it span, they remembered, each of them a different occasion during Izzy's trip, a different day that was somehow effected by her presence. As it twisted in the air, gaining speed as it fell, they all knew that this was how it was meant to be.

The passport hit the ground. Up on the roof, the silhouette of two people entwined could just be seen. The class cheered.

A happy ending. 2A didn't seem complete without her.

_There isn't up or down_

_Everyone under the same sky_

_The paradise from our dreams_

_That's our paradise!_

_Greedless, nothing to lose, an impartial world_

_A dream paradise_

_Para paradise_

* * *

"Atem, would you get your backside out here?!" Alyssa yelled, stepping over a struggling hedge to pound on the outside window of N001. "We've been waiting ages!"

"It's five am." His voice came through the glass, grumpily. "I only managed to get to sleep an hour ago. You can wait a little longer while I get ready."

"Hurry up or I'll send Izzy in there without any clothes on!"

"You will not." Izzy sighed, dispensing justice in the form of a head swat.

"She's right." Marik agreed. "That would be demeaning. And he definitely wouldn't come out."

"Marik, not you too!"

"Atem!" Alyssa was saying again. "Out here, now, or we'll miss it!"

"It's not even New Years." He complained, but appeared a moment later. "Alright, I'm here."

"Then let's move out!" Alyssa commanded, and, rolling her eyes, Izzy followed.

The four of them headed into the woods, and began heading uphill. A sleepy sort of silence had fallen, and Izzy decided it was high time it was broken.

"Hey, Alyssa."

"Yeah?"

"Race you to the top!" She yelled, and ran.

"No fair!" Alyssa called, and stumbled after her, although they both knew that she had no hope.

"Must those two always compete?" Atem sighed. "It's obvious Izzy is faster."

Marik shrugged, but then suddenly grinned. Catching up with Alyssa easily, he grabbed her hand and began to pull.

"If you're going to run," he teased. "At least run faster."

"Hey, that's cheating!" Izzy shouted as they went past her. "Atem, come on!"

He sighed, but then ran, faster than all of them, pulling Izzy along in his wake.

"Ahhh, they're going to win!" Alyssa said in horror.

"Not if we climb that! We can cut them off!" Marik answered, pointing to a ledge just over a metre high that cut off a corner of the path. He dragged Alyssa towards it and hauled her up, and then to Izzy's disgruntlement, they were ahead, and disappeared behind the next bend. A moment later, however, there was a yelp. They didn't slow their pace as they passed Marik again.

"Hey!" He called after them. "A little help?! Alyssa fell in a bush!"

"No can do, sorry!" Izzy stuck out her tongue, and held Atem's hand as they reached the top and stood, silently contemplating the sunrise over the city. Orange and gold light painted the tops of the buildings in light, and the streets below lay in shadow. It felt as if no-one else in the world was awake. Even though most of the third years probably were.

When Alyssa (now removed from the bush) and Marik joined them at the top, for a moment no-one disturbed the peace. Then Atem spoke.

"So, why are we here?"

"If wishing on the sunrise works on New Years," Alyssa answered. "There's no reason it shouldn't on exam results day! So..." She took a step closer to the edge, cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted as loudly as she could so that the words echoed away down the cliff. "I wish Marik gets the results he needs so he can go to the University he wants to!"

"Don't wish that, it's embarrassing!" He snapped. "Anyway, if I get in, I have to move away."

"I know, but..."

"Fine." He moved up to the edge, and imitating her, said, "I wish Alyssa would quit school and come with me!"

"What?! Don't wish that! What if it comes true?! I'm not dropping out of high school for you! I take it back!" She shouted off the cliff. "I hope he fails!"

"Hey! You can't take it back!"

Atem and Izzy watched as the playful argument continued into a noisy chase, and waited until the sounds disappeared down the hill and into the thick cover of the trees. A comfortable silence fell again.

"What are you going to wish for?" Atem asked, eventually.

"I don't know." Izzy answered honestly. "I already have everything I want."

They kissed briefly on the sunlit hill before walking slowly back down together, hand in hand. They rejoined the city, where people were just waking up, businesses began to open, students panicked waiting on results, lorries rumbled by, people cried, people laughed and loved and hated and died and walked forwards and lived.

None of these people, Izzy thought, knew they were now one more in number. But it didn't matter. It was, Izzy thought, proof that things would always turn out alright in the end. No matter what.

**THE END**

**~*~Happy Birthday****~*~**

_**A/N (Waffles4eva): Well, that's it, done. It was my goal to get past the 50,000 word mark and I hit 54,795 (of which 1382 were 'and' and 3341 were 'the' XD). =D I would have liked this fic to have been longer, but it was my A-Level year and it was very busy; this took months as it was. XD I wanted Seto to be in it too, but I didn't just want to force him in, so I didn't. Had it been longer, I would have drawn out the Izzy/Bakura relationship, had more of his abuse of Alyssa, and especially added in more about Atem's powers. Oh well. This last episode may seem a little rushed. Well, that was mostly because I was going on a trip to Canada and had set a goal to finish this before I left. I was still writing at 11PM the night before... but I did it. XD On a side note, the end montage was the first scene I thought of. I wrote out a list of the places the classmates could be while waiting for English class one day, and wrote the preview underneath that. So yeah, I always knew it would be a happy ending, even if Scooby didn't. She kept saying 'It's you' to explain why she thought Izzy was going to die. If she paid attention, she'd realise no matter how bad my fics get, they always have a happy ending. XD Thanks for reading!!**_

**A/N (scooby2408): Well, there you have it - I know that I have really enjoyed this and I hope you have to - I want to thank everyone who took the time to read it. Finally I just want to say a huge thank you to Waffles4eva for taking the time to writing it - it has been a fantastic birthday present.**


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